Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (PRESEC) emerged as the overall winner at the maiden edition of the National Cybersecurity Challenge which took place at the GNAT Hall in Accra.
They won the competition with 64 points over Mfantsiman Girls’ SHS who scored 59 points, Adisadel College who scored 57.5 points, St. Monica’s SHS who scored 54 points, Oda SHS who scored 50 points and Northern School of Business who also scored 42 points.
They won the competition with a trophy, laptop for their Cybersecurity club, cash prize of GHS 3,000, certificate for participating, one-week internship at the cyber security authority (all expenses paid) and other souvenirs.
Other awardees also won various prizes and souvenirs for themselves.
Deputy Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Hon. Ms. Ama Pomaa Boateng speaking on behalf of the sector Minister said, about 125,000 Senior High School students since 2023 have been trained on cybersecurity in Ghana.
The training she said forms part of the awareness creation programmes of her Ministry through the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) and other partners.
She further noted that awareness creation was identified as the most effective medium to address cybercrime issues worldwide, hence the need to institutionalize National Cybersecurity Awareness Month for Ghanaians.
“We have achieved some successes, especially in raising awareness of the online risks associated with contact with our children on the internet, the conduct of children and young people on the internet, which could harm other children as well as the contents which children access on the internet,” the Deputy Minister said.
Madam Boateng stated that Ghana’s internet penetration rate currently stood at 53 per cent of the total population, including children, who were susceptible to threats such as cyberbullying, exposure to indecent images and videos cyberstalking, phishing attacks and sextortion.
The protection of children, vulnerable among society, she said, was at the forefront of the Government’s national cybersecurity efforts.
The Deputy Minister said as part of the Government’s commitment to protecting children and the entire cyberspace from criminal activities, the Safer Digital Ghana Awareness Programme was launched in 2023, with a focus on Children, the Public, Businesses and Government.
The Acting Director-General of The Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako on his part said, “Without a doubt, children are some of the most active users of the internet. Although the increasing access to the internet has presented unparalleled opportunities for children and young people to communicate, connect, learn and access information from various parts of the world, these opportunities come with new security challenges.”
He added, “The CSA in February this year undertook a survey in selected senior high schools in the Greater Accra Region, interviewing 3622 students. The survey revealed that, out of the 3622 students, 1544 spend more than five hours online daily. Also, 2331 of these students have encountered sexual content while online, 2025 students have met online strangers physically, 1418 students have experienced romance scam involving money, 866 students have experienced romance scam involving sex, 830 students have posted sexual contents and 769 have encountered bullying, all online”.