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Let's Protect Children From Harmful Effects Of Tech

By MyJoyOnline
General News Let's Protect Children From Harmful Effects Of Tech
SEP 25, 2018 LISTEN

Education Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has reiterated the importance of understanding the crucial role of digital intelligence in protecting young children from the harmful effects of online technology.

Some of these negative effects he identified include gambling, falling prey to child molestation and inappropriate content.

Speaking Monday at a forum on digital intelligence at the ongoing World Economic Forum in New York City, USA, he stated schools in Ghana, especially the public schools, are poorly equipped with devices to teach digital intelligence skills in a practical, meaningful way.

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“In many cases, the physical infrastructure is poor, and in rural areas, access to electricity and therefore internet connectivity is generally erratic,” Dr. Opoku Prempeh stated.

He added that: “Currently our emphasis is on improving literacy and numeracy skills in our basic schools.”

He stated further that teachers are generally not sufficiently trained and equipped to impart those skills to students in meaningful ways.

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Touching on how education ministries can create a curriculum that institutionalises digital intelligence, the Minister stated that Ghana was reviewing her pre-tertiary curriculum and that this takes into cognizance the digital trends of the 21st century as much as we concentrate on improving learning outcomes.

He further made the point that in many cases, children’s skills and access to new trends was at a faster rate than teachers can catch up and that digital skills training must form a core part of the teacher training curriculum.

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Dr. Prempeh further expressed the view that in developing digital skills intelligence, it was important to be wary of the huge economic divide in developing countries and that such policies must seek to embrace all children rather than inadvertently catering only for children whose families are able to afford digital tools for them.

Other discussants at the forum included teachers, parliamentarians, policy makers and representatives of Telecom companies from across the world.

Dr. Prempeh subsequently participated in the plenary session of the summit, which was opened by the Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio.

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The forum addressed by policy makers, education administrators, parliamentarians and teachers from across the world and ends Tuesday, when it will be addressed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

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Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | JTM

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