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University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) vice-chancellor Professor Elvis Asare-Bediako said the university was on the verge of building a multi-purpose center for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Once completed, the center, according to Professor Elvis Asare-Bediako, would carry out research and innovations of national and international interest to address the shortage of scientists and engineers in the country. He therefore wanted the government to help them set up the Center.
He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 5th UENR STEM festival on the University campus in Sunyani.
The three-day STEM festival involves approximately 2,300 learners from elementary, secondary and secondary schools in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions, and has brought together over 8,000 learners since the University introduced it 5 years ago .
19 exhibitors from the departments of chemical sciences, applied biology, horticulture and plant production, computer science and informatics, among others, are involved.
This year’s festival, under the theme “The Role of STEM Education in Combating the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Way Forward for Ghana”, is expected to continue to motivate students, while encouraging parents to help their children cultivate their scientific gifts by pursuing STEM education to the next level.
UENR VC Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako said: “The center would also organize a short content-based training for teachers who deal with science subjects at JHS and SHS levels.”
According to him, this would provide a solid foundation for students who have the potential and wish to pursue STEM programs in college.
Professor Elvis Asare-Bediako noted that the Center, in collaboration with other departments, will turn potential science students into finished products to help the growth of this country.
The company, he explained, supports the government’s program for STEM education.
“If we are authorized by the GTEC / NAB and the Ministry of Education, we will organize courses in STEM programs to support the promotion of STEM education in the former Brong Ahafo region and the northern sector of the country. “, did he declare.
He said, however, that government help, through the Ministry of Education, was needed to set up the one-stop STEM Center in order to realize the vision.
The VC further stated that such assistance would be a slap on their shoulders for what they are already doing to support STEM education, which in itself is an indication of what they would have achieved had they had. such a center.
In a speech read on behalf of the Sector Minister, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum, by Dr. Eric Nkansah, in charge of higher education, he expressed his enthusiasm to see the young students exposed to STEM and congratulated the Management of UENR for being the first university in Ghana to have organized a festival of this nature.
This type of exposure for young people, the minister said, is in line with the government’s agenda to make STEM education a priority.
He explained that the theme aligns with the government’s commitment to make Ghana a center for vaccine manufacturing in the sub-region with the $ 25 million seed funding for the establishment of a National Vaccine Institute. , as announced by President Nana Akufo Addo.
Such emerging institutes, coupled with the government’s quest to accelerate socio-economic transformation, said Dr Adutwum, would require a concerted effort to increase the number of students in STEM-related fields, hence the charge of the president. on the Ministry of Education to implement policies to improve science.
He added that the ministry is committed to repositioning the education system anchored on STEM and should enable Ghanaians to develop their country and become competitive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Dr Adutwum also said the Ministry of Education is building 11 state-of-the-art SHS STEM models across the country, one in Akrodie in the Ahafo region and one in Koase in the Bono East region, equipped with of 12 laboratories.
He urged students to take the festival seriously and learn as much as possible from the exhibits, assuring that the government will provide the necessary resources to train them to world-class scientists.
Fan Milk PLC, as a nutritional partner, showcased bottles of their new Nutriday products, as their contribution to the festival to help refresh the minds of learners.
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