The Uaddara Basic School in Kumasi on Wednesday emerged winners of the maiden edition of the Ghana Science and Technology Explorer Prize ceremony (GSTEP) held in Accra.
For emerging winners, each team member of the Uaddara Basic School team will receive Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) materials and devices valued at GHS 4,000. The team’s teacher will receive a cash prize of GHS 6,000 and Coursera and data subscriptions valued at GHS 4,000 while the team’s school will receive STEM materials and equipment valued at GHS 80,000
They won the award after beating other schools from the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions with their prototype machine, which regulates the crossing of the road by pedestrians to prevent road accidents at zebra crossings.
Osu Home JHS and Holy Child School from Obuasi placed 2nd and 3rd respectively, and for their prizes took home GHS 3,534 and a Cousera and data subscription valued at GHS 3,800 for Osu Home JHS. Whilst Holy Child School was presented with GHS 2,356 and a Cousera and data subscription valued at GHS 3,800.
Awards were also presented to nine others for being the Best Pitch, People’s Choice, Excellence in Applied Science, Most Innovative Idea, Most Outstanding Exhibition Stand, Most Outstanding Teacher, GSTEP Footprint Award, Most Outstanding Mentor (Responsiveness), Most Outstanding Mentor (Finalist Support) and took home various packages for their efforts.
The Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, who was present at that award ceremony, lauded all the participating schools and other stakeholders for their roles leading to the participating teams coming out with various initiatives which are geared towards solving societal challenges.
He also eulogized the Dream Oval for its role in leading towards the successful execution of the challenge.
The Education Minister stated that the current development in the sector was apt and will surely facilitate the fast transformation of the nation’s economy through education.
Dr Adutwum pledged to support the teaching and learning of STEM education in all schools nationwide so that all regions would have a fair share of the development of human resources in the country.
Madam Constance Agyemang, the founder of the GSTEP, was full of praise to all the participants, mentors, teachers and other stakeholders for their roles in leading to the execution of the maiden contest.
She pledged to do more to help much Ghanaian youth to embrace the teaching and learning of STEM for the benefit of the nation which needed more of such knowledge to promote its development.
Background
The GSTEP challenge was launched in June 2022 with a focus on promoting the development and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for all Ghanaian students.
The initiative, which was implemented by a consortium led by Dream Oval, with a partnership from Challenge Works, MEST Africa, DEXT Technology Foundervine, is aimed to equip the youth with STEM skills so they can contribute their quota toward the development of the nation and the rest of the world.
More than 800 schools in the Ashanti and Greater Accra regions applied to the contest and a total of 50 schools reached the finals with their prototyped projects which sought to find solutions to challenges confronting their communities and the nation as a whole.
By Felix Baidoo
