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The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has outlined his government’s ambition to establish Ghana as a leader in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and innovation on the African continent. He emphasized the pivotal role STEM education plays in the advancement and innovation of modern society.
During his address at the 61st Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools on October 11, 2023, President Akufo-Addo explained that the government is actively working toward realizing this vision. One of the key initiatives is the creation of a STEM pipeline aimed at boosting STEM enrollment at the tertiary education level through pre-engineering programs.
He mentioned, “The pre-engineering program has been introduced to target Senior High School Graduates in General Arts, Visual Arts, and Business. The one-year pre-university program, launched in February 2022, has admitted its second cohort of students.” The primary objective is to expand the pool of potential engineers, ultimately increasing the number of engineering graduates from 6,500 to 30,000 by 2030, which includes both first-degree and Higher National Diploma graduates.
At the senior high school level, efforts to increase STEM enrollment have included the establishment of four newly constructed STEM Model Schools and the conversion of three existing schools into STEM Model Schools. These schools, known as the Ghana STEM Academy Schools, are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and have enrolled around 2,400 students in General Science and STEM programs.
Additionally, the government has constructed ten regional STEM Centres to facilitate STEM education from primary through junior high school to senior high school. The Accra High School STEM Centre is already operational, providing training in various STEM subjects to approximately 250 students daily. Furthermore, six other centers are nearing completion, while three others are in various stages of development.
The President also mentioned a program to reequip science laboratories (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology) in 180 selected Senior High Schools, highlighting the government’s commitment to promoting STEM education and innovation in Ghana.
Source:Omanghana.com
