The Ministry of Education and the Free Senior High School Secretariat have challenged corporate Ghana to invest in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) agenda by the government to help in solving some basic needs of the country.
The ministry emphasised the importance of investments in the public and private sectors, thereby sponsoring the brilliant innovations from students in second-cycle institutions taking part in the Stemnovation challenge.
The Stemnovation challenge was instituted by the Free SHS secretariat last year, aimed at unearthing critical thinking and problem-solving students through STEM innovations with flexible and efficient use of electricity, urban gardening and clean water as its three thematic areas in the 2023 contest.
Alex Quayson, a team lead of Stemnovation at the Free SHS Secretariat, in an interview with Citi News at the Ghana Senior High School where 16 second-cycle institutions in the Eastern Region are competing for the ultimate in the regional contest, touched on the need for corporate Ghana to get involved.
The Eastern Regional Free SHS coordinator Kenneth Anim believes the active involvement of all stakeholders will go a long way to increase the number of students who are seeking to pursue science-related programmes.
On his part, the Municipal Chief Executive for New Juaben South Isaac Appau- Gyasi, dismissed claims that the high enrolment from private schools into public schools is a result of the current economic hardships.
He assured the government’s commitment to continue sustaining policies such as the one free hot meal, improving infrastructure and motivating teachers in public schools to give their best.