The Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, says President John Dramani Mahama’s government will provide infrastructural support to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) schools in disadvantaged communities within the country.
Dr. Apaak disclosed this at the Ghana Science and Tech Explorer Prize (GSTEP) Exhibition and Awards Ceremony at the National Theatre in Accra on Thursday.
The Deputy Minister, who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Builsa South, highlighted infrastructure equity as one of the key areas the current administration intended to address in ensuring that Ghanaian children had access to high-quality, hands-on STEM learning.
He said the government will work to ensure every region has at least one STEM learning facility to train learners.
“We will accelerate the development of STEM model schools in underserved regions. Every region must have at least one STEM centre of excellence, equipped with the tools to inspire the next generation of problem solvers,” he stated at the National Theatre.
Dr Apaak said the ministry will include practical STEM lessons championed by GSTEP in the education curriculum in order to equip students with practical and problem-solving knowledge and skills.
On the issue of teaching and learning STEM in the various schools, he highlighted the crucial role of teachers, pledging substantial funding in professional development to make sure they were well trained to “mentor and guide students toward innovation”.
During his speech, Dr. Apaak reserved praise for students who were participating in the exhibition, saying their initiatives for solutions to problems were commendable.
“What you have done here is remarkable, but it is only the beginning. You have proven that you can imagine solutions. Now go out and make them real. Build. Test. Fail. Learn. And build again,” he told the innovative learners. “Ghana needs your ideas, your courage, and your commitment.”
Dr. Apaak said the GSTEP team that had put together the event had “demonstrated that when you place tools and trust in the hands of our youth, they can build a better Ghana”.
He called them pioneers of the STEM movement whose efforts would forever remain a vital part of the national education strategy.
The deputy minister used the occasion to reaffirm the government’s commitment to addressing longstanding challenges in the education sector in order that access to quality education is not determined by one’s background, location, or income level.
