The Ghana Code Club is an
after-school programme in
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
that teaches children
computer programming
Computer programming is the process of performing a particular computation (or more generally, accomplishing a specific computing result), usually by designing and building an executable computer program. Programming involves tasks such as ana ...
skills.
The programme was founded by Ernestina Edem Appiah, and the programme is organized in various schools by Healthy Career Initiative, a
nonprofit organisation
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
in Ghana.
Healthy Career Initiative was also founded by Appiah, in 2007.
Ghana Code Club is a digital fun club that is being organized in schools in Ghana for children between the ages of 8–17.
It is an after-school
extracurricular
An extracurricular activity (ECA) or extra academic activity (EAA) or cultural activities is an activity, performed by students, that falls outside the realm of the normal curriculum of school, college or university education. Such activities a ...
programme.
As of January 2016 in Ghana, the present information communications technology
curriculum
In education, a curriculum (; : curricula or curriculums) is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur in the educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to a view ...
in Ghana does not include learning activities for technology.
The club encourages children to attain modern skills in computer technology to help them with future careers.
Some of the activities include learning how to create websites, animations and video games.
In January 2016, the programme began operations in five schools, and the organisation is prepared to expand into most schools in Ghana in 2016, with a goal of educating at least 20,000 children.
Challenges faced by the Ghana Code Club includes problems with internet connectivity in Ghana, and access to capital and computer equipment. As a result, a significant portion of the classes are presently taught on paper with printouts.
History
The founder and CEO of Ghana Code Club is
Ernestina Edem Appiah
Ernestina Edem Appiah (born 1977) is a Ghanaian social entrepreneur. She founded the Ghana Code Club as an after-school program to teach children how to write computer programs. She made the " BBC 100 Most Inspirational Women" list in 2015.
Bi ...
,
her interest was initiated by an article she read about children in the United Kingdom learning coding (computer programming).
Appiah was one of the BBC's 100 Women.
See also
*
CoderDojo
CoderDojo is a global volunteer-led community of free programming workshops for young people. The movement is a grassroots organisation with individual clubs (called "Dojos") acting independently. A charity called the ''CoderDojo Foundation'' ...
References
External links
* {{official, http://ghanacodeclub.org/index.php
Education in Ghana
Computer programming