For four consecutive years, the Annual Impact Roundtable Discussion (AIRTAD) has continued to make significant feats in heralding the success of STEAM education in Ghana and Africa.
The two-day conference, which took place on February 25-26 at the Cedi Conference Centre, University of Ghana, displayed an aura of enthusiastic and innovative students and guests who converged with a common goal of celebrating the occasion and promoting the future of STEAM.
This year’s theme, ‘The Yamoransa Model Impact Year: Scaling Successes of Bridging Educational Gaps with Technology, showcased the critical thinking skills, innovations and talents of beneficiary schools of the Yamoransa Model Labs (YM) and participating senior high schools in a robotics competition and projects exhibitions.
The Yamoransa Model Labs Programme provides solar-powered ICT centres equipped with educational content, multimedia resources, robotics workspaces and augmented with virtual reality (AR/VR) learning tools and 3D printing facilities.
The event welcomed key industry players from academia, policy, technology, the business community, governance, education, CSOs and NGOs.
Prof Elsie Effah Kaufmann, Board Chair of the AIRTAD technical committee and quiz mistress of the National Science and Maths quiz in her statement, stressed on the importance of schools practising STEM and STEAM education, which equips young ones with efficient skills to solve real problems to enhance development.
The Yamornasa Model Labs, she indicated, is bridging the technology gap, especially in underprivileged communities, by providing students with hands-on experience on the theories they learn.
Other dignitaries, including the UNESCO Country Representative to Ghana, Mr. Edward Moukala N’Gouemo, the Ambassador of Japan to Ghana Mr. Hiroshi Yoshimoto and representatives of organisations such as Camfed, ALX Ghana, CSIR-IIR and Academic City University also reaffirmed their commitment to championing STEAM education and innovations in Ghana in promoting educational excellence and solving Africa’s challenges.
Beneficiaries of the YM Labs have had great success in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). The passing rate of females in the BECE last year was 16.1% as compared to males at 12.5%.
This result shows a significant interest of females in STEAM courses. From 2021 to 2024, the YM Labs have impacted 44,585 students. One of the technological innovations which aids students and teachers is the ASANKA; an offline digital tool which has impacted about 55,000 students.
Project exhibitions & Competitions
Beneficiaries of the YM Labs showcased their innovative projects inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Notable projects included the SMART Home City, a seed sowing robot, a SMART Power irrigation system, and Solar cookers, which were pitched to a panel of judges while proposing solutions.
YM Lab 8, was adjudged the winner of the most innovative project. Their project was an invention of the ‘Novos Technopolis’, a Latin word which translates into a modern SMART City. The project addressed SDG 7 and 11. The victory has given them a platform to compete in the Academic City Tech Expo 2025, organised by Academic City University.
The robotics competition also had a vibrant atmosphere between students of the junior high and senior high levels.
YM Lab 7 of the junior level emerged as winners while Achimota Senior High School emerged winner for AIRTAD 2025, beating YM Lab Liberia, Accra Academy and YM Lab 3.1. Achimota swept away with GHS6,000.00, four laptops, a certificate and an educational support fund of GHS18,000.00.
The Yamoransa Model is aimed at providing students from underprivileged communities with an opportunity to expand their education on STEAM by gaining a hands-on experience on the theories they are taught. The funders of this model is the Helping Africa Foundation, with project management done by IMPLEMENTERS.
AIRTAD 2025 achieved another milestone of demonstrating the success of the Yamoransa Model Labs on Ghana’s education, while preparing a future of ready solution makers.
