Accra, Oct. 5, GNA - ThinkQuest, an International Online Learning Centre, has trained 100 teachers from Senior High Schools in the Greater Accra Region using the 21st Century skills instruction and project learning= .. They were drawn from Accra Academy, Kaneshie Senior High School, West African Senior High School, Christian Methodist School, Sacred Heart Technical Institute, Accra Technical, Wesley Senior High, Kinbu Senior High and Osu Presbyterian Senior High. The rest are; Armed Forces Senior High, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Saint Margret Mary Senior High, Saint John's Grammar, Accra Girls Senior High, Saint Mary Senior High, Odorgorno Senior High School, Ebenezer Senior High, Nungua Senior High, Teshie Presbyterian Senior High, Achimota School, Presbyterian Senior High, Legon, Presbyterian Senior High, La Saint Thomas Acquinas Senior High and Labone Senior High School. The Centre embarks on environmental projects to support collaborative learning; technology competitions that challenge students to solve real-world problems; the award-winning Think Quest Library, a learning resource and professional development for educators. The initiative was organised by Ghana Education Service (GES) and sponsored by Oracle Education Foundation (OEF), a non-profit corporation, aimed at developing and managing learning projects, local competitions, and educational content in the country.

Mrs Shirley-Ann Oldnall, Facilitator, OEF, addressing the opening session in Accra on Wednesday, said OEF provided the ThinkQuest programme free of charge. She said the Foundation selected grants that fund evaluation, research= , and special projects that supported its mission to help Member States to acquire skills in ICT to enable them contribute for future development. Mrs Oldnall advised teachers to create awareness on the need for the students to cultivate the habit of participating in international competitions as well as share ideas with others globally. She urged the teachers to utilise the skills acquired to enhance the development of the use of modern technology in the country. Mrs Oldnall called on government to establish more ICT centres in the country to make it accessible to students for them acquire knowledge to mee= t international standards adding, ICT created job opportunity. Mr Richmond Atta-Williams, ICT Operator, GES, reiterated efforts by government to improve technology in the country. He said the introduction of the project would help keep students busy as well as curb rote learning among students.

Mr Atta-Williams commended ThinkQuest and OEF for such an initiative and assured them of government's support to collaborate to assist future leaders of the country Mr Harry Konnor Tetteh, Technology Pre-sale Consultant, said technolog= y was an invaluable tool to facilitate student-teacher development. He said there was the need for both teachers and students to acquire skills in ICT to adapt to modern trends of communication adding, it had mad= e transaction easy across the globe. "This partnership will enable students compete and collaborate with internationally acclaimed educational institutions and enthuse them to pursue higher education," he added.

Mr Tetteh said ThinkQuest was a protected, online learning platform that would enable teachers to integrate learning projects into their classroom curriculum and students to develop critical 21st Century skills, including creativity, communication and teamwork. He said it would inspire students globally to think, connect, create and share using technology to help them dissolve boundaries, fulfil their potential, and create a better society. "By providing students with access to ThinkQuest, we empower them to broaden their horizons and develop critical skills they need for life and work in the 21st Century," he said.

Mr Tetteh said the project was meant for selected institutions by GES and any school that want to participate must consult a nearby school to register while the competition was also meant for children below 19 years i= n a Senior High School. Mr Stephen Dotse, a Teacher, expressed gratitude to the organisers for the project and prayed that it became an annual affair to assist other schools in the country. He said the training had enriched his ICT skills and promised of establishing an ICT club to help educate the students on the need to participate in a competition. ThinkQuest, is an online learning platform that helps students develop important 21st Century skills, including communication, critical thinking, and technology skills.