One Million Coders programme shifts focus to senior university students

The Ghanaian government is restructuring its flagship digital-skills initiative, the One Million Coders programme, to prioritize third- and fourth-year university students over freshmen. Sam Nartey George, the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, announced the shift during a visit to the training labs at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

The decision aims to bridge the gap between technical training and employment. Minister George noted that training first-year students creates a significant time lag between skill acquisition and graduation, which risks the skills becoming obsolete or unused. By focusing on students closer to graduation, the programme intends to prepare them for immediate entry into the workforce.

To support this transition, the Ministry is tailoring curriculum content to address specific skill gaps identified in the labor market. Additionally, the government announced the provision of 2,000 more laptops to KNUST, bringing the total to 2,500 laptops to facilitate the establishment of 15 learning centres on campus.