"Cybersecurity education central to Ghana’s digital transformation" – CSA Boss

The Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Mr. Divine Salasi Agbeti, has stressed that cybersecurity education must be placed at the heart of Ghana’s digital transformation agenda, describing it as an essential foundation for building a safe and resilient digital society.

Speaking at the maiden National Cybersecurity Education Conference in Accra, Mr. Agbeti said cybersecurity should no longer be treated as a specialised field limited to IT professionals but as a critical component of every academic discipline.

“Cybersecurity education is not peripheral but central to Ghana’s digital transformation. It must become as fundamental as literacy or numeracy. Every student — whether studying medicine, law, business, or education — must develop a basic understanding of digital safety and responsibility,” he stated.

The conference was themed “Empowering Higher Education for Cyber Resilience and Digital Rights,” convened policymakers, education leaders, and industry experts.

Mr. Agbeti cautioned that the education sector has become a prime target for cyberattacks due to the vast amount of sensitive information it holds.

He cited cases of data breaches, certificate forgery, admission scams, sextortion, and cyberbullying that have affected tertiary institutions across the country.

He warned that cybercrime is projected to cost the world over $10.5 trillion by the end of 2025, while the shortage of cybersecurity professionals has reached an estimated four million globally.

“Our educational sector has been designated as critical information infrastructure whose protection is vital to our national security, stability, and development,” he noted.

To address these challenges, the CSA is collaborating with the Ministry of Education and GTEC to embed cybersecurity principles in teaching, learning, and institutional governance.

Mr. Agbeti disclosed that the Authority had contributed to the review of the ICT in Education Policy and Ghana’s EdTech Strategy through CENDLOS, ensuring cybersecurity, data protection, and digital ethics are mainstreamed into education.

He further revealed plans to implement a National Cybersecurity Competency and Qualification Framework to provide structured training pathways from basic digital literacy to advanced certification levels.

“A draft Memorandum of Understanding has been submitted to GTEC to formalise this collaboration. I urge its swift finalisation so implementation can begin without delay,” he appealed.

Mr. Agbeti also announced the establishment of an Education Sectoral Computer Emergency Response Team (Edu-CERT) to coordinate cybersecurity incident responses across universities and colleges.

Through its Capacity Building and Awareness Creation programme, the CSA has already sensitised over 5.6 million adults on cybersecurity issues between January and October 2025 — a sharp rise from just over 100,000 in 2022.

The CSA Director-General commended the Ministry of Education, GTEC, and the Accra Technical University for spearheading the inaugural conference, describing it as a vital platform.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith