The Telecel Ghana Foundation has graduated 500 young learners from the fourth cohort of its DigiTech Academy across five regions.

The graduation ceremonies, which brought together members of parliament, district education directors, chiefs, community leaders, teachers and parents, were held in Yendi in the Northern Region, Sawla in the Savannah Region, Gambaga in the North East Region, Effiakuma in the Western Region and Enchi in the Western North Region.

The Telecel DigiTech Academy is designed for upper primary and junior high school students, who complete a 12-week after-school programme in robotics, coding, web design and mobile application development.

Students across the five regions showcased over 80 prototype technologies they had designed in teams to solve challenges within their own communities, spanning robotics, websites and mobile applications.

Their innovations included smart wheelchairs to improve mobility, heartbeat monitoring systems, smart fire extinguishers, automated garage access systems, floor-cleaning robots, automated hand dryers, Sumo robots, theft alert systems, game and utility applications, sun-tracking solar panels, a fire alert system and automated pet feeders, among others.

At the graduation ceremony in Effiakuma, Member of Parliament for Kwesimintsim, Philip Fiifi Buckman, described the programme as an investment in Ghana's future innovators.

"We are grateful to the Telecel Ghana Foundation for bringing this valuable programme to our children. I believe this initiative will help uncover young innovators who can use technology and our local resources to solve challenges in our communities.

"I have always believed in nurturing children from a young age, and this programme is a great example of how digital skills can empower the next generation to drive meaningful change."

Amid poetry recitals, choreography and cultural performances, each graduation ceremony also recognised excellence in the programme.

The top three students in Robotics, Web Design and Mobile App Development in each region received awards alongside certificates presented to every participant who successfully completed the three-month academy.

The Municipal Director of Education in Yendi, Mohammed Mumuni Adams, commended the Telecel Ghana Foundation for complementing classroom learning with practical STEM education and building the digital confidence of both learners and teachers.

“Seeing firsthand what happens when our youth are given the tools, opportunities and technology to thrive is inspiring.

"We are grateful for investing in the human capital of Yendi and communities across Ghana. You have shown that digital literacy is not a luxury meant for urban centres but the fundamental right of every young person,” Mr Adams said at the graduation ceremony in the Northern Region.

The DigiTech Academy forms part of the Telecel Ghana Foundation's Connected Learning initiative and is delivered in partnership with the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana STEM Centre through implementing partners Mingo Foundation and Asustem Robotics.

Alongside student training, participating teachers also undergo professional development to ensure digital knowledge remains within schools after each cohort ends.

Rita Agyeiwaa Rockson, Head of Foundation, Sustainability and External Communications at Telecel Ghana, said the programme was deliberately designed to move young people beyond consuming technology to creating it.

"The Telecel DigiTech Academy is designed to equip learners with practical skills that enable them to develop solutions to real-life challenges.

"I encourage every learner to build on the knowledge they have gained, continue exploring technology, and share what they have learned with their peers.

"This is only the beginning of their journey as innovators and changemakers," Ms Rockson said.

Chief of Kwesimintsim Traditional Area, Nana Egudzi Essoun III, who lauded the training initiative and its long-term benefits for local communities, said, “This programme has given us the opportunity to witness the incredible talents and potential of these young learners.

"We encourage them to continue building on the skills they have acquired and use them to create a brighter future for themselves and our communities.”

Among the graduates is Shaban Asmat, a student at the Presbyterian Junior High School in Yendi, who said the Telecel DigiTech Academy has fundamentally changed how the graduates viewed technology.

"Before joining the Telecel DigiTech Academy, I thought mobile applications were created by the people who manufacture mobile phones only. Through the programme, I have learned that anyone with the right skills can develop mobile apps.

"This has inspired me to create applications that can help farmers work more efficiently. The programme has broadened my knowledge and shown me that I, too, can use technology to solve real-world problems.”

Launched in 2024, the Telecel DigiTech Academy has expanded into a nationwide initiative that has now reached approximately 2,800 learners across all regions.

A defining feature of the initiative is its commitment to inclusion, with girls making up approximately 70 per cent of beneficiaries, to help address the existing gender gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.