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14th July, 2009
Researchers Worried About Internet Abuse Among Children
A dissemination workshop on the use of the internet by children in the Accra metropolis was held on Friday for selected pupils from basic and junior high schools in Dansoman and Osu.
It was organised by the Department of Children of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC) to disseminate findings of a research on the use of the internet.
The research observed that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) would negatively affect Ghana’s development, if pro-active measures are not taken to prevent the youth from using the facility for fraud and immorality.
Mr. Sylvester Kyei-Gyamfi, head of Information, Research and Advocacy Division (IRAD) of the Department of Children, expressed concern about the spate of abuse of the internet among school children in the country.
Mr. Kyei-Gyamfi advised young people to use the internet to harness their potentials to enable them to contribute meaningfully to national development and obtain jobs at the highly competitive global labour market.
Mrs. Florence Quartey of the Department, who presented the report, expressed regret that “whilst some children in the metropolis use the internet for academic work others use it for fun and pornographic and other harmful purposes.”
She urged school authorities, parents and internet café owners to regulate the use of the computer by children since the study revealed that they (stakeholders) assisted children to operate the facility.
Mrs. Quartey said out of 700 school children interviewed 30 per cent use the internet while 70 per cent did not use the facility.
The number of male school children who use the internet was more than their female counterparts.
The participants said that even though some children misused the computer, there was the need to provide all school children with the facility to enhance academic work, entertainment and communication.
It was organised by the Department of Children of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC) to disseminate findings of a research on the use of the internet.
The research observed that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) would negatively affect Ghana’s development, if pro-active measures are not taken to prevent the youth from using the facility for fraud and immorality.
Mr. Sylvester Kyei-Gyamfi, head of Information, Research and Advocacy Division (IRAD) of the Department of Children, expressed concern about the spate of abuse of the internet among school children in the country.
Mr. Kyei-Gyamfi advised young people to use the internet to harness their potentials to enable them to contribute meaningfully to national development and obtain jobs at the highly competitive global labour market.
Mrs. Florence Quartey of the Department, who presented the report, expressed regret that “whilst some children in the metropolis use the internet for academic work others use it for fun and pornographic and other harmful purposes.”
She urged school authorities, parents and internet café owners to regulate the use of the computer by children since the study revealed that they (stakeholders) assisted children to operate the facility.
Mrs. Quartey said out of 700 school children interviewed 30 per cent use the internet while 70 per cent did not use the facility.
The number of male school children who use the internet was more than their female counterparts.
The participants said that even though some children misused the computer, there was the need to provide all school children with the facility to enhance academic work, entertainment and communication.
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