Introduction:

Harry Konnor Tetteh is my name, am 21 years of age and a Ghanaian. I live with my parents and siblings together in Ghana. I had my primary basic education for 6 years and continued to Junior secondary school for 3 years and pursued Business in Opoku Ware secondary school, which was also for 3 years. I am currently offering Bachelor of Commerce in the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

Childhood curiosity:

I started as a young boy in interested in reading stories about genius scientist and their inventions. I also liked films and documentary on television about technology. This inflated my urge to discover what is really behind technology and I was opening up tapes and watches to find out. On my attempt to open up the only television in the house, my father did not give me that chance. At the age of 12, I was a watch and tape repairer. I also made wooden touch lights and fans.

First encounter with Computers:

I had heard a lot about computers but the first computer I saw was my first year in the secondary school (2020) at my school’s computer laboratory. I never got the chance to touch it until my second year when we had a computer lessons in my class timetable. Even thou there were about ten (10) computers in the laboratory which were all connected to the internet, it was impossible for us (the students) to get chance to use the computers or taught how to operate it. The reasons was that “students will mess up with the system if they are given the chance to use it” because of our illiteracy in computing.

Those who got the chance to use the computers were the teachers and school typists who type out our examination questions. Being billed with computer user fees and our inability to get access to use the computers annoyed me very much. I therefore discussed the issue with my fellow school prefects and reported the staffs responsible for the computer training to the headmaster. This reportage brought total solution to our access to the computers in the laboratory.

I later joined the computer club as an effective member because; its members had the privilege to enter the computer lab. at leisure hours. I even took on the responsibility  to clean up the computer lab. in order to have extra access to the computers.

In my third and final year in the secondary school, the computer club had a general meeting with other secondary schools and was introduced to ThinkQuest by the clubs patron (Mr. Alfred Amoah and Mr. Nuruddin Boateng) who also happens to be the computer lab. coordinators. I was very much excited  about their lecture on how thinkquest was about, but all attempts made to participate failed because of my little knowledge on how to use the computers, more especially Internet.

After Secondary School:

After my Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE) and awaiting my results (which is a year duration) I convinced my parents to allow me to go for a computer training classes during this period, but due to financial constraint, it was not possible. There came a great happiness when Mr. Nuruddin Boateng (my former computer lab. coordinator) invited me to assist him in a school linkage project by Dubble Lives with a cocoa buying company known as “Kuapa Kokoo Ltd.”, whiles still awaiting my result slip to the university. His invitation was due to how helpful I was to him at the computer lab. when I was in the secondary school.

My encounter with this Man really broadened my scope of knowledge in computers as computers and the Internet was the backbone of this school linkage project. I got his support and encouragement to participate in ThinkQuest Africa 2020. He was the Administrative Director of FLAME (Foundation For Free Learning and Merit Education) NGO, which has ThinkQuest as its national partner. He supported me on my suggestion to form Flame-ThinkQuest Club to help students to participate in ThinkQuest competitions. The club became successful with many students from different secondary schools and I was the regional coordinator of it.

ThinkQuest Africa Experience:

My participation in ThinkQuest Africa 2020 was a total different experience because of the challenges my team and me went through. After agreeing on a topic with all teammates and coaches and ready to start work, the designer of our site for the project (Mahmoud Shalaby of Egypt) reported of the break down of his computer and inability to proceed with progress. Being the content writer and translator, filled with the zeal of completing the project the project successfully, I never gave up carrying on with my task as I had a completed outline already. My coach Carol from Australia also gave me her advice and moral support. One main aim for my participation was to get myself a secondhand laptop for my university education and to minimise the cost of using the internet café after winning the cash prize award. Because of this I never bothered using my chop money for internet and on computers.

I used the internet café for all interactions and transfer of files with my teammates. After my result came and got admission into the university, the competition was still going on, so I had to still continue at school. My university was in a different region  (thus Cape coast) from where I used to stay with my parents and siblings (Kumasi). There were no Internet cafés around the school campus by then, so I had to board a car about 15mins. drive to a nearby Internet café. I often used the night after 10pm because by that time the Internet connection speed was fast and the charge per minute was 50% reduced.

Sometimes, I keep long in the café and return around 12am to school. By 12am, it was hardly to get a vehicle on the road back to campus, so I had to take a bush-long footpath. There was one occasion when I have to run very crazily because of a snake I saw on my way back to school at mid night.  In about two weeks for the deadline of ThinkQuest Africa 2020, Mahmoud (the site designer) came back online with a good news that his computer is now alright. And because of the short time left, we (the team) had to work overnight constantly beyond 15hrs in order to finish up, as all contents I was required to gather were ready to be put on the site.

We made it just before an hour for the deadline time. And fortunately for us, we won the platinum prize in our category. My efforts to be at the presentation ceremony in Gabrone failed but I was glad to I got my prize and certificate. Even thou, m y cash prize was not enough to purchase my planned secondhand laptop in Ghana, I used it to buy a mobile phone to also enhance my means of communication.

What I think of ICT from Experience:

In fact, I have learnt a lot with the help of I.C.T and also gained much experience in it. Through ThinkQuest Africa, I was taught how to chat on the internet by my teammates. There were division of roles and responsibilities, coordination and unity of command through I.C.T, without any physical interaction and our aim was realized.

I.C.T is the only digital bridge to the division of regions, nations, countries and continents. And ThinkQuest Africa has proven beyond doubt that with I.C.T, the world we live is truly a ”Global Village”.  ThinkQuest Africa is on its way to teach, educate and unite the youth of Africa and the world at large with I.C.T.

With all these experiences and challenges I have encountered so far through my eagerness to discover the brain of technology form childhood, I.C.T has been the solution and my final discovery of my worries. I always do my best to assist my fellow mates, friends and anybody I come across who needs my assistance concerning knowledge in computing.

Conclusion:

The backbone of every nations development is I.C.T

By Harry Konnor Tetteh