Prof Elsie Effah Kaufmann,

Professor Elsie Effah Kaufmann, Dean, School of Engineering, Sciences, Uni­versity of Ghana, Legon, has encour­aged young girls to choose their career courses based on passion and not external influences.

She said when the child was passionate about a course, it made it easier for him or her to dedicate and commit time to study, excel, and unleash their potential.

Prof. Kaufmann gave the advice on Tuesday at a mentorship session for young girls to mark National Girls in ICT Day in Accra.

It was on the theme ‘Girls in ICT, Lead­ership.’

“I normally ask my students to choose a course that will enable them to contribute meaningfully to problem-solving,” she said.

She acknowledged that parents meant well when choosing a career path for their children, but they must be mindful of the passion of the child.

“Parents must understand that the world is changing. We need students who are creative and ready to address a prob­lem,” she said.

The Professor advised the students to be assertive, focused on the courses they were interested in, and never be discour­aged by people’s ideas.

“There is nothing you cannot do; if you have an interest in something, do not be distracted but work hard and pursue what you are passionate about.”

The Professor said the generation of young girls would need STEM to be better prepared to use and develop artificial in­telligence to enhance their future careers.

She encouraged development partners and non-governmental organisations to partner with the Ministry of Communi­cation and Digitalisation to continue to support girls in ICT to be relevant in the emerging world.

Dr Nanayaa Tina Owusu-Prempeh, Board Chair, Ghana Domain Name Registry, underscored the importance of girls in ICT to bridge the digital divide and build their competencies for the job market.

She said, “ICT is the future, and it is important for the country to optimise technology in all sectors, especially agri­culture, to improve food security.”

Dr Owusu-Prempeh advised the stu­dents to use technology to advance their development and not for negative things like watching pornographic materials and unhealthy practices.

“You have to use social media for research and development and not for promiscuity,” she said. —GNA