The Alpha Beta Education Centre (ABEC) in Accra has launched a $350,000 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) project to provide free structured programmes and trainings for students and teachers.
According to the director, ABEC, Dr Naomi Adjepong, the two-year project would also afford the school the opportunity to add to its existing facilities, including Information Technology, Science and Innovation labs.
She said this when she launched the project at the school’s 35th anniversary and founders’ day celebration held on the theme “Celebrating 35 Years of Impact” over the weekend.
Dr Adjepong noted that 35 years was a significant milestone in the school’s mission of providing academic excellence for which reason the STEM project would ensure that more students and Ghanaians obtained industry-related skills to increase development in the country.
She revealed that the unavailability of equipment and educational materials to facilitate STEM education in schools was negatively affecting the county’s development and the African continent.
“Regardless of Africa’s talent pool, there’s likely to be a limited domestic skilled STEM workforce resulting in the recruit of foreign talent for STEM-related jobs,” she added.
Dr Adjepong said that the students would have the chance of interacting with industry persons who would mentor them to stimulate their interest in STEM and subsequently explore STEM-related careers.
As such, the director of ABEC used the opportunity to call for an unending investment into STEM education across the country to accelerate development.
She commended the founders of the school for their immense contribution towards the development of Ghanaians and wished all staff, parents and students of ABEC a happy anniversary.
Reminiscing his days at ABEC, broadcaster and alumni, Emmanuel Kwame Sarpong, noted that the training and guidance from the school had shaped him into the person he was.
He therefore lauded ABEC for the rich education it had offered over the years and applauded it for the project.
Mr Sarpong urged students to leverage the resources available to them to build themselves academically to contribute towards the development of the country.
Established in 1988 with six children and one member of staff, ABEC helps expose children to a rich and varied teaching and learning environment.
The school seeks to broaden the outlook of students; encourage the best examples of Christian morality, and service to others; and to develop skills which will enable them to compete favourably and be global agents of change.