The One Million Coders Programme has recorded a 91 per cent course completion rate in Ghana, more than double the 42 per cent global completion rate cited for Google-supported programmes, Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George has said.
Mr George disclosed this during a two-day ministerial visit to the Volta Region to inspect facilities under the One Million Coders Programme (OMCP) and the Rural Telephony Project.
He attributed the completion rate partly to the programme’s integration into formal education, noting that several universities have made the courses a requirement for their students.
“Across the world, Google has a completion rate of 42%. In Ghana, our completion rate is 91%.”
He said institutional learners, particularly those enrolled through universities, were more likely to complete the courses because of the academic requirements attached to their participation.
However, the minister acknowledged that completion remained a challenge among some learners using community-based training centres, where participation was not necessarily tied to institutional requirements.
He urged registered participants to complete their courses to ensure the government and its partners obtain full value from the resources invested in the programme.
“We are reaching out to them and saying that please complete the course so that we get full value for the money.”
During the visit, Mr George and his team inspected several training centres and sought feedback from participants on their learning experiences.
Some of the concerns raised related to internet connectivity, including slow speeds and areas where access remained unreliable.
In response, the minister said the government would engage service providers to improve connectivity at the centres. He also disclosed that the GIFEC administrator had been directed to load data directly onto the devices used for training rather than transferring data allocations to site managers.
The directive, he explained, was intended to ensure that the resources provided for the programme reached the intended users.Mr George urged more Ghanaians, including young people and older adults, to take advantage of the training, either through designated learning centres or independently online.
Registration is available through the programme’s official website, www.onemillioncoders.gov.gh.
He said the government wanted to expand participation while addressing the operational challenges that could affect learners’ access to the programme.