The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Huawei Technologies, Ghana has educated female Senior High Schools in the Ashanti Region on Cyber Security as part of the Ministry's Girls-in-ICT Program.

The pilot programme covers the Eastern and Central regions.

About 20,000 girls will benefit from the training in each region. It will also focus on the Cyber Security Act 2020.

The programme is aimed at providing ICT education to girls in the second cycle Institutions as well as equip them with basic cyber security fundamentals to help them stay safe in the cyber space.

The beneficiary schools include Wesley Girls Senior High School (SHS) and the Yaa Asantewaa Senior High School, St Louis, Serwaa Nyarko, Kumasi Girls, the Adventist Girls SHS, St Mary's Girls, Afua Kobi Ampem Girls, St Monica's, TI Ahmadiya and Prince of Peace.

Topics being treated include the Child Online Protection Provisions in the New Cyber Security Act 2020 and the SMART Acronym which explains how to stay safe online.

The girls are also being trained on risks associated with the use of internet which include fake news; cyberbullying, sextortion, cyberstalking among others.

On the Cyber Security Point of Contact, the girls would be sensitised to the need to report all cyber-related issues confronting them to the National Cyber Security Authority on shortcode 292 for prompt response and necessary assistance.

According to the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful the initiative was part of efforts to continue empowering the youth with the digital skills they urgently need to thrive in the new technological era.

She expressed the hope that much enthusiasm would be generated amongst girls to enhance ICT education in the country.

In the Eastern Region, schools to benefit from the training are Mamfe Methodist Girls, Aburi Girls, Krobo Girls, Diaspora Girls, St Roses, Islamic Girls and St Mary's Vocational and Technical Institute.

Holy Child, Wesley Girls and  Mfantseman Girls in the Central Region will also benefit from the programme.

Female colleges of Education in the selected regions will also benefit from the training.

The Girls-in-ICT is an initiative of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), aimed at introducing young girls to basic ICT skills.