Management of Siemens Ghana, has paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, to discuss partnership opportunities in the promotion of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education in Ghana and to present Siemens sponsored Senior High School students who participated in the Eskom Science Expo for Young Scientists, an annual science fair held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Siemens team was led by Edmund Acheampong, Country Manager of Siemens Ghana, with a delegation made up of Rebecca Ottman, Head of Siemens Stiftung, the foundation responsible for STEM education in Africa; Mrs Guddy Abena A. Kermah, Headmistress of Sekondi College; Joel Doggoe from MISE Foundation and the sponsored students from Sekondi College and Lincoln Community School.
Briefing the Minister, Mr Acheampong enumerated Siemens Ghana’s initiatives aimed at boosting STEM education in the country and bridging the gap between education and industry. “Siemens has set up a Siemens equipped lab in KNUST to train engineering students with the practical skills and skill set needed in key industries”. Mr Acheampong explained that selected tutors from the school have also received training to facilitate teaching and preparation of their students for the job market.
Siemens Ghana has an agreement with the Takoradi Technical University (TTU) to set up a similar lab on their campus. “We have also refurbished and restocked the ICT lab of Sekondi College with 45 state-of-the-art computers and accessories”, he added.
Speaking about the next step for Siemens Ghana, Mr Acheampong said, “we are going to set up Siemens training centres in the country to meet the training and certification needs of technicians, not only in schools, but also professionals in industry.
Dr Prempeh congratulated the Siemens Ghana team for the initiatives, stating “you are on the right track. I have always known Siemens will grow with us. For everything you are doing, thank you”. He also encouraged more collaboration with the ministry, “we have an ambitious agenda to promote STEM from primary 4; to build STEM centres, Robotic centres, among others. We trust that Siemens will continue to work with us to achieve this.
Mr Acheampong also briefed the minister on the students’ participation in the annual science expo organised in South Africa. He stated that “the innovative science research projects displayed by Ghanaian students, the gold medal they won and the presence of the entire Ghanaian delegation at the science expo raised high the flag of Ghana and rightfully projected Ghana as a country committed to promoting STEM education”.
Students of Lincoln School had the opportunity to interact with the minister briefly as he engaged them on ‘machine learning’, the project that awarded them the gold medal during the science expo.
Mr Acheampong pledged, on behalf of Siemens Ghana, to work hand in hand with the government of Ghana to continue championing the STEM agenda in the country.
BY DAVID ADADEVOH
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