Akufo-Addo: Government fully committed to supporting STEM
The President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated the government’s commitment to prioritise Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in the country.
Speaking at the 75th Anniversary of Aburi Girls Senior High School in Aburi, in the Eastern Region. Akufo-Addo says this is critical to the country’s quest to industrialize.
On Saturday, 22nd January 2022, I attended the 75th Anniversary of Aburi Girls Senior High School, in Aburi, in the Eastern Region. Established from humble beginnings in 1946, ABUGISS has come a long way to achieving the vision aptly captured in its motto, “Bepͻw so han”, i.e., Light on the Hill, Akufo-Addo posted on Facebook.
“I indicated in my address that Government intends to continue to deepen the education of our population, so as to attain our industrialization objective. This means there will be increasing emphasis on science and technology education and technical and vocational training.”
He added “We intend to put Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in its central, relevant place. In so doing, we will not neglect the critical contribution of the humanities to the growth of our society and civilization. Indeed, it is being increasingly accepted that the best balance is not just STEM education, but, actually, STEAM, i.e., STEM plus the Arts.”
Akufo-Addo cuts sod for GHC32 million Accra STEM Academy
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has cut the sod for the construction of the Accra STEM Academy, a school, dedicated, principally, to the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The academy, which will be constructed within the next 24 months, will be completed from kindergarten to high school, with an expected population of some 2,000 students.
It will have a number of state-of-the-art facilities, including a four-storey classroom block, science laboratories, a sickbay, administrative area, staff common room, library, washrooms, canteen, and a 1,500 capacity multi-purpose hall.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the Accra STEM Academy, being constructed at a cost of GHC32 million, will equip learners from kindergarten to senior high school with 21st-century skills in problem solving, creativity, communication, collaboration, data literacy, digital literacy, and computer science.
“In addition, the Accra STEM Academy will be a place where learners in junior high school will be provided with the options of learning basic engineering, manufacturing, and global studies to help them make informed decisions on their preferred programs of choice at senior high school level,” he said.
Delivering a speech at the event, the President explained that the government attaches importance to the teaching of STEM at all levels of the nation’s educational system, in recognition of the centrality of STEM capability in the employment of science and technology towards Ghana’s nation’s development.
“Indeed, our world is essentially driven by technology. Energy, industry, agriculture, medicine and health, clean air and water, transportation, sanitation, the use, management and conservation of natural resources – the successful exploitation of all these sectors depends, ultimately, on the application of science and technology. So, it is obvious that to be a part of this modern world, science and technology must be present at every stage of the development process,” he added.
Competing with the world
Despite being one of the leading countries in guaranteeing access to quality education on the continent, President Akufo-Addo noted that Ghana’s education sector still requires some significant transformation to compete with the best in the world.
For example, he explained that Ghana must increase her Gross Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (GTER) from the current 18.84% to 40% by 2030, adding that “in accordance with Government’s Education Strategic Plan (ESP), targeted at increasing our science to humanities ratio from the current one of forty to sixty (40:60) to the desired sixty to forty (60:40) in favour of science, Government is repositioning our education system, anchored on STEM Education”.
As part of the Government’s commitment to the advancement of STEM education in the country, President Akufo-Addo stated that his administration has commenced the development of twenty (20) STEM Centres and ten (10) model STEM Senior High schools across the country, which are at various stages of completion.
“Some of these schools will be operationalized this year. These institutions and centers will be fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and laboratories to facilitate teaching and learning in all areas of study, including artificial intelligence and robotics,” he added.
Describing the Accra STEM Academy as a Ghana project, the President was confident that Ghana’s young people are going to acquire skills that would put them at par with their peers anywhere in the world.
“I expect parents and students to take advantage of this facility’s opportunities, and enroll in this STEM Academy. The government is committed to accelerating STEM education in Ghana, to train students with cutting-edge 21st-century skills. God-willing, within the next twenty-four (24) months, we will all be back here to witness the commissioning of the Accra STEM Academy,” he added.