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 training 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 is 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 is 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 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.