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The Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) has commissioned a Smart Lab and Innovation Centre at the New Atuabo Community Basic School, to enhance digital learning within and beyond its host communities.
The facility valued over US$68,000 would serve pupils from primary five to Junior High School three in New Atuabo Community Basic School as well as other public and private institutions located in the vicinity.
The centre is fully equipped with 50 high performance tablets, with a charging cabinet, 20 coding and robotics kits, two Lego Prime robotics kits, 10 Arduino kits, three quest virtual reality headsets, two laptops for the instructors, projector, and router for internet connectivity.
At the handing over ceremony, Mr Elliot Twum, the Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Gold Fields Ghana Limited, said for Gold Fields, education was crucial, and they believe in transformative power and the essential role it plays in the development of communities.
The Foundation has, therefore, over the past years, invested over US$10 million to help secure the future of young people in their host communities.
He stated that with a growing interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics, the Foundation set up a smart lab and innovation centre as a pilot project for advancing the integration of technology and digital tools into the teaching and learning experience.
He said that was referred to as Education 4.0, and it promoted learner’s independence, as well as provided personalised learning.
In 2022 the Ghana Education Service (GES) introduced Computational Thinking as part of the curriculum for basic school education in Ghana, unfortunately, several public basic schools in the country did not have the facilities to support the teaching and learning of the subject.
Mr Twum said teachers in some basic schools located in smaller communities, depended solely on textbooks to teach the subject, with no practical aspect, takes a lot away from the teaching and learning experience.
The Foundation, therefore, decided to pilot the smart lab and innovation centre concept in partnership with Coral Reef, a Ghanaian owned institution with footprints across several African countries
In addition to teaching the mandatory computational skills, Mr Twum noted that the facility would also train pupils from all ten basic schools in the community, as well as any interested adults, in basic robotics and AI at a fee.
He expressed appreciation to Madam Catherine Biney, the GES Director in Tarkwa Nsuaem, for leading an experienced team to manage the facility and Madam Janet Amponsah, Head teacher of New Atuabo Community Basic School together with the two teachers, Mr Stephen Komla Amenu and Mr Felix Adu-Asare, who volunteered to be trained, to teach these courses.
For Over 20 years, the Foundation has invested more than US$104 million in various projects and programmes in agriculture, water and sanitation, health, infrastructure and education, the Senior Vice President announced.
He recalled that several years ago, the Foundation constructed three water supply systems for New Atuabo. Now, the community, under the leadership of Nana Kwaku Baah II, has added four more water facilities, fully funded by the community through funds generated from selling the water.
Mr Twum stressed that New Atuabo’s track record of successfully maintaining community projects paved way for the centre to be established in the locality.
Mr George Effah, the Western Regional Director of Education, added that the world was moving at a faster pace, and the children of New Atuabo cannot be left behind, “with the power of technology the world is now a global village, and GFGF had made it possible for their children”.
He said with the smart lab and innovation centre pupils within the Foundation’s operational area, would eventually become smart and technological students meeting the core competencies of the standard based curriculum, especially digital literacy.
“As much as we are to promote strict supervision and maintenance at the centre, the learners should be allowed to use and manipulate the computers so that they can master them and reflect on their performance. With this facility, I expect tremendous improvement in ICT results of the schools,” Mr Effah said.
Mr Issah Salifu Taylor, the Member of Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem constituency, on his part indicated that the smart lab and innovation centre stands as a testament to their dedication and would undoubtedly be a transformative asset for their young learners.
He lauded the GFGF and all those who contributed to make the project a reality, saying “Let us nurture this facility, protect and use it as a catalyst to propel Tarkwa Nsuaem to greater heights”.
Nana Kwaku Baah II, the New Atuabo chief, appealed to the Municipal Director of Education to create guidelines for maintaining the facility and help arrange meetings with parents from the host communities benefiting from the facility to establish a maintenance fee.
He reminded the communities that “It’s our responsibility to maintain the centre, GFGF wouldn’t do it for us after handing over. Am also suggesting that we hire a security officer to guard the premises after school hours to prevent theft”.
Nana Kwaku Baah II also applauded the Foundation for their generosity and appealed for four smart lab and innovation centres to serve the growing pupil’s population.
Nana Abena Boaduwaa II, the queen mother of the Apinto Divisional Council, who chaired the function emphasised the importance of regular and proper maintenance to attract more projects from the GFGF in future.
The management of GFGF has formed a five-member board with Nana Kwaku Baah II, the Chief of New Atuabo as the chairperson for the committee, to ensure the smooth running of the facility.
Other Committee members are Madam Janet Amponsah, the Head teacher, New Community Basic School, with Mr Prosper Komogi, Mr Daniel Kankam Boadi and Madam Gifty Gyimah as representatives from the Municipal Education Office; Parents, and Teacher Association and GFGF.
