Access Bank Ghana – in partnership with 9ijakids, Pay Box, Child in Tech, KAKI and STEM MET, all tech-based companies – trained over 300 children in robotics and allied tech programmes at the maiden STEM Fun Fest in Accra.
The beneficiary schools, Ashiaman Lebanon International School and Happy Kids Academy, received hands-on training in robotics and acquired knowledge on the usage of ChatGPT, a language model-based chatbot.
Speaking ahead of the fun fest, Managing Director of Access Bank Ghana, Olumide Olatunji, noted that in line with the bank’s CSR strategy of advancing Africa, Access Bank takes a keen interest in promoting education. He said a survey conducted by Junior Achievement and published in Forbes Magazine in the first quarter of 2023 revealed a growing interest in STEM education in Arab, Eastern Europe, and East Asia.
“Sadly, no African country made it to the first ten. In our quest to advance Africa, we will prioritise education in all its form so that Africa gets to the top in STEM education. STEM will impact successful companies – both now and in the future,” Olumide stated. He commended the Government of Ghana for its commitment to the development of STEM education in the country.
Addressing the children at the event, the Head of Corporate Communications at Access Bank Ghana, Oluwaseun David-Akindele, said he was excited at the progressive growth of digital learning technology in Ghana. He noted that Access Bank continues to champion the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
He said: “Supporting this initiative aligns with our strategic objective of promoting quality education by positioning children to be equipped for a tech-based future”. He also revealed that Access Bank will soon commence a ‘Coding for Kids’ project in partnership with Amalitech in its quest to contribute to attaining SDG 4.
Co-Founder of 9ijakids Titi Adewusi emphasised the need for all to embrace technology as it remains a crucial part of the future. She said the STEM Fun Fest was born out of the necessity to equip young people with digital skills in a technological era.
“STEM education equips students with the technical and creative skills necessary for the ever-evolving job markets, which require a combination of technical and creative abilities. Technology is the future. It has proven useful in all spheres of human life: education, music, banking, trading, and many more. That is why we are equipping children in STEM.”
Directors of Pay Box, Child in Tech, KAKI, and STEM MET, shared insights into how they chose their career paths and encouraged the children to follow their interests and passions in deciding their future careers, during a panel discussion at the event. They explained that technology can help to promote their skills on the global market.
The children enjoyed hands-on training at the various workstations, where they assembled miniature cars, fabricated an energy generation tool that converts wind energy into electricity and other tech devices. They also participated in career sessions facilitated by volunteers who took them through pertinent topics on career choice. In addition, they explored the benefits of utilising artificial intelligence in their studies.
Access Bank remains committed to ensuring that shareholders, customers and staff enjoy a more-than-banking experience. The bank presently operates through over 700 branches and service outlets in 18 countries, including the UAE, UK and France, as well as three representative offices in China, India and Lebanon.
