140,000 register for One Million Coders Programme, 10,000 complete training

About 140,000 individuals have registered for the government's One Million Coders Programme, with over 10,000 already finishing their training. Minister Samuel Nartey George disclosed these figures, stating that the programme, a presidential initiative, is expected to see a significant rise in participation once universities and senior high schools join in.

He had signed agreements with 12 universities and is in discussions with 10 more, aiming to accelerate enrolment from September. George talked about this while visiting the Eastern Regional Innovation Centre, which also serves as a training hub for the One Million Coders Programme. He said Ghana's University and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology have made the programme compulsory for their Level 100 students.

UG has nearly 40,000 Level 100 students for the year, and the 12 universities in the agreement are expected to add another 100,000 participants. The minister believes that making the programme a mandatory course will help achieve the government's goal, as students will have to complete the courses as part of their academic requirements.

He expects that after universities and senior high schools are onboarded, between 300,000 and 400,000 students will join before the year ends. He urged anyone not affiliated with participating institutions to register independently, stressing that the programme is free and open to all Ghanaians. The One Million Coders Programme, part of the RESET Agenda under President Mahama, plans to train a million Ghanaians in coding and ICT skills over four years, aiming to equip the youth with digital skills for the digital economy.

The government plans to expand the programme nationwide, with the tour assessing infrastructure and identifying areas for immediate support for digital inclusion and skills development.