The Minister for Education (MoE), Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has described the maiden national Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) competition as a great boost for tapping into the creative potential of Senior High School (SHS) level students.
The competition, dubbed: ‘STEMNOVATION’, is designed to challenge SHS, Senior High Technical Schools (SHTS), and TVET institutions to innovate for socio-economic development.
According to the minister, who urged all students to take an interest in STEM education as the foundation for the nation’s future development, the novel competition would help students think outside the box and be creative as they rest assured that their ideas would be recognised and celebrated.
“The good news is that this STEM project competition is designed to challenge and tap into the creative potential of the current Free SHS Programme beneficiaries, including SHS, SHTS, and TVET Institutions.
“Another good news about this competition is that it is the first of its kind at the second cycle level of education in Ghana. Competing schools were tasked to apply indigenous materials in their surroundings,” he said.
He added further that, indeed, the various innovations by all the 200 participating schools were a testament that Ghana, as a country, has creative minds who can be nurtured to become scientists and innovators of projects to address local and global challenges.
Dr. Adutwum also congratulated the winners of the maiden competition, Kumasi Academy.
The maiden ‘STEMNOVATION’
The Kumasi Academy SHS scored 24.6 points to beat Pope John SHS and Seminary and the enterprising Worawora SHS to win the maiden edition of the STEMNNOVATION contest.
For emerging winner, Kumasi Academy SHS took home a trophy, a laptop, a printer and a GH₵12,000 cash prize.
Pope John Senior High and Worawora Senior High scored 24.4 and 23.8 points to place 1st and 2nd runners-up respectively.
Pope John was presented with a plaque, a laptop, a printer, and GH₵7000 cash for emerging 1st runner-up while Worawora SHS took home a plaque, a laptop, a printer, and GH₵5000 cash.
Awards were also presented to 16 others as Regional Champions, Overall Best Recycling Project, Overall Best Coding and Programming Project, and Overall Best Solar Project.
Other awards went to the Most Popular Project, Overall Best TVET School, Most Artistic STEMNNOVATION Awards, Best STEMNNOVATION Award, among others.
Stakeholders believed that the initiative will empower students and make them ready to solve societal problems.
“Congratulations to Kumasi Academy for emerging winners of the maiden national STEM Project competition dubbed: STEMNNOVATION. I applaud Pope John SHS Seminary and Worawora SHS for placing second and third respectively. Special congratulations to the Management of the Free SHS Secretariat for initiating and organising this competition,” Dr. Adutwum said.
