The Deputy National Coordinator for the Free SHS Secretariat, Nana Afrah Sika Mensah, has said that the new Stemnovation initiative will empower students and make them ready to solve societal problems.
According to her, the initiative is to move students away from the old theoretical trend in the study of Mathematics and Science, and expose them to the practical aspect.
“Stemnovation has come to stay, and I see it as a game changer to move students from the normal trend of studies which relies mostly on theory to be more practical, which will challenge our children to do so many things,” she said.
She continued that “a time will come when we will no longer rely on foreigners to solve our problems for us, but our own students with their knowledge and creativity, will be able to solve our societal problems for us.”
The Kumasi Academy Senior High School (KUMACA) has emerged the overall winner of the maiden “stemnovation” competition organised for Senior High Schools (SHS) and Technical, Vocational and Education Training (TVET) schools across the country.
KUMACA had 24.6 points followed by Pope John’s SHS and Minor Seminary School with 24.4 points, the first runner-up, and Worawora SHS with 23. 8 points, the second runner-up.
They were presented with GH¢ 12,000 cheque, a printer and a laptop; whereas the first and second runners-up received GH¢7, 000 and GH¢5,000, respectively, as well as a printer and laptop each.
In all, 200 SHSs and TVET institutions participated in the competition nationwide, out of which 16 were selected for the semi-finals, and three made it to the grand finale. The maiden stemnovation competition provided a platform for students to showcase Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) projects that they had developed to solve societal problems.
The event was organised by the Ministry of Education through the Free SHS/TVET Secretariat in collaboration with Cocktail Media, a media production group.