In our first project we are working with UK charity Onechild Ghana to assist ICCES (Integrated Community Centres for Employable Skills), a Ghanaian organisation that provides vocational training and education to young people aged 16 to 23. ICCES would like to develop their IT capability to allow them to offer courses in computing skills alongside their existing range of courses.

ICCES run more than 70 centres throughout Ghana. For many students these centres are the only option for accessing further education locally as places in other institutions are often beyond the means of many families. ICCES receives some funding from central government for teaching staff but funding for equipment and infrastructure is limited. Consequently ICCES has to rely on Ghanaian National Service personnel and volunteers from organisations like BUNAC to fill additional staff positions. Equipment and resources frequently have to be funded from donations and student fees.

We are initially working with ICCES in the Ashanti region where there are 14 centres. Subjects taught include Carpentry, Masonry, Electrical Installation, Agricultural Skills, Dressmaking, Home Economics, and Textiles as well as English, Maths and Entrepreneurship. The addition of IT equipment and staff training will be of huge benefit to ICCES. It will not only allow them to provide essential courses in computing skills but will also enhance the delivery of existing subjects.

Peartree IT staff have so far visited Ghana in 2006 and 2007. During these visits our members visited the Regional Co-ordinator, and several ICCES centres and this has helped us to identify a number of specific areas where we can be of assistance.

As a result we have already provided computing equipment for the Regional Office in Kumasi to aid with administration. As well as general administrative tasks these computers enabled ICCES staff to prepare exam papers for 2007 examinations in-house.

Since our 2007 visit we have been working on plans to establish the first IT training centre at Baworo. Plans for this centre are progressing well and we aim to have the centre up and running by March 2008.

As well as providing computers we will also be funding a full-time IT Instructor, and providing for ongoing technical maintenance and support. Once Baworo is up and running it will provide a model for the installation of similar facilities at four other ICCES centres in the region.

These centres will initially teach basic IT skills from a Ghanaian government syllabus. In future we intend to support the introduction of more advanced courses, relevant to the vocational subjects already studied by ICCES students. For example we’d like to introduce training in Autocad and Coral Draw to compliment building and dressmaking subjects.

If you would like to get involved or would like to find out more about Peartree IT please get in touch through our contact us page.