The Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Tuesday presented more than $1 million assorted teaching and learning materials to the Ghana Education Service (GES), to support the successful implementation of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in basic schools.
It forms part of the $ 8 million dollar KOICA Girls STEM project to enhance and encourage girls to partake in science education, being implemented in 10 districts in Central and Eastern Regions.
It included beakers, test tubes, tripod stands, spring balance, test tube holders, stopwatches, hand lenses, measuring cylinders, a set of garden stools, and others to encourage the practical learning of science programmes in the schools.
The Country Director of KOICA Ghana, Mr Donghyun Lee, who presented the education material in Accra said the “girls STEM project” was initiated by KOICA to embody the collective commitment to empower young minds, breaking barriers, and fostering inclusivity in education.
“Today, we come together not only to review the progress made so far but also to witness a pivotal moment as we hand over essential teaching and learning materials that will further enhance the educational experience for our beneficiaries.
Education is the cornerstone of progress, and the Girls STEM by KOICA project stands as a testament to our belief that investing in the education of young girls is an investment in the future,” Mr Lee said.
He said the four-year project, with funding from KOICA, was a gender-responsive pedagogy project that generally sought to improve the competency of Junior High School (JHS) STEM education, stressing that, about 400 JHS, were beneficiaries of the ongoing project.
The Director General of the GES, Dr Eric Nkansah, thanked KOICA for their immense contributions to Ghana’s education, especially in the area of STEM, and expressed optimism that the items would improve the teaching and learning of science in the country.
He said about 12.5 per cent of students were able to pursue science programmes in the various Senior High Schools, stressing that, girls’ participation in STEM education had significantly reduced.
Dr Nkansah implored Girls to embrace STEM education with all seriousness since science education had become one of the priority requirements to further their education at the tertiary level.
He called on benevolent individuals and organisations to support help improve science education in the various JHS and SHS, as the government welcomes such collaborations to achieve the STEM initiative.
Dr Nkansah said by harnessing the power of STEM, Ghana could address societal challenges to enhance productivity and improve the overall quality of citizens.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
