After twelve weeks of immersive and hands-on learning of robotics, coding, website designing and computer programming, a total of 700 students from 38 schools across six regions have successfully completed their training as part of the Telecel Digitech Academy.
The Telecel Ghana Foundation initiative, in partnership with Mingo Foundation and Asustem Robotics, runs concurrently alongside the regular Ghana Education Services (GES) curriculum for the full academic term, with the aim of equipping Ghanaian pupils in junior high school with practical technological skills.
Selected schools in Greater Accra, Volta, Ashanti, North East, Bono East, and Western Regions benefitted from the tech skills training as expert facilitators took pupils through practical sessions after school hours each week, to build their tech capabilities in developing solution devices that solve real-life challenges.
At the vibrant regional closing ceremonies, students proudly showcased their final projects, ranging from smart waste bins, automated rail gates, smart spectacles for the visually impaired, automated height-recording systems to innovative water monitoring solutions among others.
Speaking at the Greater Accra regional closing ceremony for the first cohort from the Archbishop Andoh R/C and Community 8 No.3 schools in Tema, Dr. Stella Agyenim-Boateng, a Board member of the Telecel Ghana Foundation said the Academy demonstrates the Foundation’s commitment to equipping next generation with relevant skills for a future shaped by innovation, technology, and transformation.
Three teams of pupils from the participating schools in the port city demonstrated how their built projects, when extended beyond the prototypes, can help tackle issues of perennial flooding, infection and inaccurate measurements as well as how they can contribute to the realisation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Mrs. Bernice Ofori, the Tema Metropolitan Director of Education, commended the Telecel Digitech Academy, particularly for addressing the existing gender imbalance in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
“The well-structured approach engaged our young learners in hands-on activities which supplemented our traditional classroom learning. The Telecel Digitech Academy is a real game changer for inclusivity by empowering our youth in the digital economy and ensuring that 70 percent of the learners are girls, addressing the gender gap in the field.”
Head of Foundation, Sustainability and External Communications at Telecel Ghana, Rita Agyeiwaa Rockson said the programme was designed to bridge the digital divide by providing young Ghanaians with access to training in emerging technologies.
“Ghanaian children shouldn’t be any different from others in developed nations with regards to STEM education and careers. Travelling across the six regions over the last month, I have seen incredible talents and capabilities of young people. Once we give them the opportunity and resources, they can excel in any field,” Rita said.
Ms. Rockson announced that the next cohort of the Digitech Academy will cover one thousand students in ten regions and called for more collaboration and partnerships to extend the programme to every nook and cranny of the country.
For many of the students, the Telecel Digitech Academy has also taught them essential life skills including building confidence, teamwork, collaboration, resilience and time management, critical skills for building products and solutions.
Across the six regions, outstanding students were recognized for their efforts in the various areas. One of them is Adalia Agyeman Duah of Archbishop Andoh R/C JHS. She believes the experience with building robots and miniature cars has gotten her several steps closer to becoming a marine engineer in future.
“Before the academy, I had never even seen an actual robot up close. Now, I’ve built one. This training has given me more confidence, and it will help me as I learn to become a marine engineer,” Adalia added.
With plans to expand the programme to more schools and introduce advanced modules next academic term, the Telecel Digitech Academy is positioning itself as a cornerstone in the digital transformation of Ghana’s education system.
