CSE and MoE To Introduce Cyber Safety Lessons in Basic Schools
By: Solomon Nartey Tetteh
The Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Mr. Divine Selase Agbeti, has announced that plans are underway to introduce cybersecurity awareness lessons into Ghana’s basic school curriculum by the end of next year.
Speaking at the National Cybersecurity Education Conference in Accra, Mr. Agbeti said the initiative is part of the Authority’s broader strategy to build a culture of cyber safety from an early age and promote responsible digital behaviour among young internet users.
“As a Cyber Security Authority, we are working with the education sector, particularly the Ministry, to develop cybersecurity awareness programmes to be integrated into the basic school curriculum. The idea is to teach children how to stay safe and responsible online,” he stated.
He explained that a technical working group has already been established to collaborate with the Ministry of Education on developing the curriculum, which is expected to be officially launched by the end of next year.
Mr. Agbeti noted that the initiative is necessary because children today are spending increasing amounts of time online, often unsupervised.
“Our children actually use the internet even more than us. Most schools now allow students to use Chromebooks. They go to school and use them, then come home, and parents assume they’re doing homework but many do not know what their children are actually doing online,” he stressed.
He said the curriculum will focus on safe online behaviour, cyber hygiene, and how to avoid online threats such as scams, inappropriate content, and predatory grooming.
“This programme will also safeguard our young girls, many of whom are being groomed online without their knowledge,” he added. “When we start teaching them the right things how to be safe online from basic school through to secondary level, we’ll be nurturing a generation that values cyber awareness,” he stated.
Mr. Agbeti expressed optimism that instilling these lessons early will have a long-term ripple effect on society, with children influencing their families and communities to adopt safer online practices.“Even when they go back to their hometowns or villages and see their grandparents not changing their passwords, they’ll be able to say, ‘Grandma, Grandpa, when was the last time you changed your PIN or password?’ This is the kind of awareness we want to build,” he said.
The Cyber Security Authority believes the new curriculum will mark a significant milestone in Ghana’s national cybersecurity development agenda, ensuring that the next generation grows up equipped to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.
