The Kpando Senior High School has been adjudged Champions of the Southern Zonal Competition of the Energy Commission Renewable Energy Challenge.
The competition was organised by the Ghana Education Service (GES), TVET Service and Energy Commission and sponsored by GIZ, Volta River Authority and AFD.
The theme was “Application of Renewable Energy Technologies on Solving Land Degradation and Water Pollution.”
The Kpando Senior High School battled it out with seven other schools and was able to top the competition held at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
The Kpando Senior High School accumulated 80.67 points as the champion of the challenge, with Obuasi SHTS bagging 79.33, while Ahantaman Girls had 55.00.
The other competitors were Wesley Grammar SHS-73.33, SefwiBekwai -72.69, St Roses – 71.33, Worawora SHS – 70.50 and Mfantsipim- 69.50 points, in that order.
Mr. Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, the Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, explained that the challenge is basically to unearth talents in the Senior High Schools in the area of renewable energy.
According to him, the challenge is to use students to research and find practical solutions to peculiar problems facing the nation. .
Mr. Amonoo-Neizer also stated that the competition is to create a problem-solving nature or attitude to make them innovative and researchers to be able to bridge the gap between academia and industry.
According to him, the gap keeps widening over the years with the “chew and pour” syndrome, hence the move to practicalise what they study and find solutions here in Ghana. Using natural products one can locally acquire and using their educational backgrounds through scientific methods in solving the problems.
He said this year the contestants apply renewable energy to solving land degradation and water pollution, which are identified as problems in Ghana currently.
The Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission called on all industries to come and witness the finals in Accra.
He disclosed that the Energy Commission has taken one step in the right direction and is able to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with CSIR, to define the products they invented to add value to it.
Dr. William Kwame Amankwah-Appiah, Ashanti Regional Director of Ghana Education Service (GES), stated that the challenge would enhance the use of Science in correcting some of the wrong practices in society, especially in terms of bad drainage systems, solid and liquid waste, land degradation and water pollution, starting from around the school environment.
He noted that the gesture is part of the curriculum Ghana is rolling out to help students acquire and create jobs for themselves and employ others, not to only rely on white-collar jobs.
He disclosed that the vision is to ensure that the children acquire training and put into practice what they have learnt in school through implementation of what the teachers mentored them on.
He also urged the Energy Commission to commercialise the products from the students.
