“What you feel reluctant to learn now, you will pay more money in the future to learn it later, but for EduBytes, all you need to pay is your time and attention.”
Rita Otabil is an early childhood educator at Central Preparatory KG at the Takoradi Air Force Base, driven by a deep passion for learning, literacy, and growth. She describes herself, “I love to read and use the internet to search for more information and try my hand at new things.” This curiosity has become the foundation of her journey as both an educator and a changemaker.
Her journey with EduSpots began in 2023, when a colleague introduced her to the network. Reflecting on that moment, she shares, “I loved the initiative and decided to join.” What started as interest quickly evolved into commitment. Motivated by her love for reading and her desire to support learners in developing strong literacy skills, Rita became an active and impactful member of the Ampatano Spot.
At the time, the Spot was on probation. However, through dedication and collaboration the team not only passed probation but also achieved remarkable milestones, emerging as the 2023 1st runner-up in the EduKidz strand and 2nd runner-up in the Ignite Equity strand.
Rita’s growth journey as a Catalyst (local changemaker) continued through the EduBytes programmes, where she participated in trainings on Canva for Beginners, Google Docs, and Google Forms. Her enthusiasm for learning shines through in her words, “I am someone who loves to learn and explore new things to build my digital skills.”
Her first encounter with Canva left a lasting impression, “I joined the first EduBytes session on Canva and loved every bit of the training.” This experience coupled with that of Google Forms marked a turning point in strengthening her digital skills. Initially unsure of what to expect, she recalls, “I had no idea what Google Forms was all about, I just wanted to see and experience it for myself.”
After just one week of training, Rita recounted, “I was so amazed and happy to learn how to create a Google Form to collect responses from my community members, fellow Catalysts/educators, and learners.” What once seemed mysterious became accessible. “I used to fill forms for research and registrations and thought there was a mystery behind how they were created, but now it is all clear and simple for me to do by myself.”
Rita is now applying these skills to address real challenges in her school. Concerned about the poor performance of learners in Science and Mathematics, she developed a Google Form as part of her final EduBytes project to gather insights directly from learners. This marks a shift toward data-driven decision-making and collaborative problem-solving within her community.
Grateful for the opportunity, Rita reflects: “The Google Forms training will help me when furthering my education and would serve as a tool to collect information for easy and data-driven decision-making.” Her journey highlights how digital skills can empower educators to lead meaningful change.
To her fellow female Catalysts, Rita urged, “I would encourage all female Catalysts to sacrifice their time and join the EduBytes training.” She stressed, “What you feel reluctant to learn now, you will pay more money in the future to learn it later, but for EduBytes, all you need to pay is your time and attention.”
Rita remains deeply appreciative of the people and opportunities that have shaped her journey. In her words, “Thank you to Faustina Mensah for introducing me to the EduSpots network which has given me the opportunity to develop my digital, leadership, and teamwork skills to drive change in my community.”