The First Lady of Ghana, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, has called for expanded funding for the education of girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
According to her, this will assist young women to fully realise their potentials, just as their male counterparts, in order to boost national development and position Ghana as a leader in STEM education in Africa.
The First Lady made these remarks during a visit to the African Science Academy (ASA), a STEM-focused education institution for girls at Tema.
The highlight of her visit was a tour of the academy’s facilities, a showcase of students’ robotics projects, and interactions with the First Lady.
“By creating additional facilities like the African Science Academy, we are establishing the groundwork for dreams, innovation, and solutions that will position Ghana as an African leader in STEM education,” she said.
She praised the academy for its achievements in STEM education, as well as its efforts to build a 200-student campus at Akuse, in the Eastern Region.
The First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, also expressed her strong belief that educational opportunities should be available to all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status.
“This demonstrates the potential of women in science and mathematics in Ghana and demonstrates what can be accomplished when we invest in our youth, particularly young women,” she added.
She also stated that the academy is proud of a successful collaboration between public and private organisations in the provision of educational opportunities for young women.
She asked for help from the African Gifted Foundation, ASA’s parent organisation, in offering a world-class STEM education to all students on full scholarships.
Dr. Thomas Segun Illube, Founder of ASA, said that the academy’s growth would help empower young women to flourish in STEM.
He said that the Akuse Academy’s expansion project will allow the academy to welcome more students, adding that it has so far received over 1,000 applications from across Africa.
