APRIL-STEM Reaffirms Commitment to Education 4.0 Through CSIR-CST Partnership

2d ago | Source: GCCP

The CSIR CST and the APRIL-STEM Team.

The African Progressive Research and Innovations (APRIL-STEM) has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Education 4.0 and 5.0 in Ghana, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the CSIR College of Science and Technology (CSIR-CST) late last year. As the new year begins, the organization says internal arrangements are underway to fully operationalize the partnership and translate the agreement into practical programs across the country.

The MOU, which sets out a framework for curriculum integration, research collaboration, innovation development, and access to research facilities, was signed on the CSIR-CST side under the leadership of the College President, Professor Mark Appiah. The ceremony was witnessed by senior members of the college, including the Registrar, Mr Baa Koranteng, the College Accountant, Mr Joshua Zogbla, and administrative officers Mrs Adriana Frempong, Ms Hilda Mensah, and Ms Patience Klu.

APRIL-STEM was represented at the signing by Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, President of the African Chamber of Content Producers and co-founder of APRIL, David Adofo, Chief Research Officer and co-founder of APRIL, alongside board members Mawuko Kuadzi and Nana Nketia.

Speaking on the renewed commitment, Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin said the partnership presents an opportunity to introduce structured research methods at much earlier stages of learning. He noted that APRIL-STEM intends to embed research thinking even at the basic school level among affiliated institutions, stressing that research forms the foundation of science, inquiry, and meaningful learning, and must not be reserved only for higher education.

The Project Coordinator of APRIL-STEM, Louis Nana Asiedu, disclosed that plans are far advanced to roll out several flagship programs in the year ahead as part of the MOU’s execution. Among them is the Schools Agritech Project, which he described as a practical pathway for advancing Education 4.0 by linking classroom learning to real-world agricultural challenges through technology, innovation, and student-led experimentation.

For his part, the Chief Executive Officer of APRIL-STEM said the collaboration will allow the organization to implement its SMET education model at scale. He explained that the model, which emphasizes science, mathematics, engineering, and technology through practical problem-solving, has already been published on international academic platforms such as Global Scientific Journals, Academia.edu, and ResearchGate, with institutions in different parts of the world piloting its recommendations. According to him, the next phase is to firmly ground these approaches in Ghana and extend them across Africa.

Professor Mark Appiah, President of CSIR-CST, reaffirmed his personal and institutional commitment to the partnership, stating that he is determined to leverage his experience and the depth of expertise within CSIR to support improvements in Ghana’s education and development at every level possible. He described the collaboration as aligned with CSIR’s mandate to link research directly to national development and innovation.

The partnership between APRIL-STEM and CSIR-CST is expected to play a key role in reshaping how science and innovation are taught, moving learners beyond memorization toward inquiry, invention, and practical impact, in line with the goals of Education 4.0 and 5.0 in Ghana and the wider African context.