Over two hundred girls in 23 senior high schools nationwide have benefited from the 2022 WiSTEM KNUST Stanbic girls’ camp.

The 5-day event hosted at the KNUST campus was themed, “Equipping Females with complete skill sets for addressing future developmental challenges”. 

The camp seeks to encourage female participation in STEM programs, and leadership positions.

The girls took part in counselling and mentoring sessions, field trips as well as project presentations.

President of WiSTEM, Professor Ibok Oduro said female inclusion is critical for social balance. 

She noted the investments in STEM by developed nations.

“If Ghana and Africa can have a seat at the table in science then we need to equip not just men, but young women as well. 

“That is very important because if we don't do it, we will be standing on one leg and will struggle to balance. So we need two legs for us to balance,” she said.

“Countries such as Singapore, the United States, China, and others that have invested heavily in STEM have achieved tremendous returns. 

This year's edition also highlighted the importance of STEM, addressed gender differences, and equipped beneficiaries with skills to navigate through their careers. 

“I hope that this year's edition of the Girl's camp will activate its objective of providing an effective forum for student tutors, and practitioners to advance knowledge, resources, and skills for addressing Ghana’s developmental problems,” she added.

KNUST pro-vice chancellor, Prof. Ellis Owusu-Dabo reiterated KNUST’s commitment to STEM education.

He advised them to develop a positive attitude and strive to be the best in their respective fields.  

“We have a certain mandate towards ensuring that at the least we improve on gross enrollment of the girl child. Currently, we are doing something male-to-female overall of 61 to 39 percent. When it comes to girl-child in terms of STEM, it is lower. 

“I can assure you, this vice chancellor, as part of her mid-term strategy toward gross enrollment, has decided that within the next ten years, KNUST should have active parity for male-to-female enrollment,” he said. 

“As we talk about equipping females with complete skill sets, let's add a building block of attitude. And the attitudes are many of the things we do. 

“Excellence must be the hallmark, strive for excellence. In equipping yourself, try to be among the top one to five percent of whoever is required to do that job so that you can be countered amongst those,” he is optimistic.

Member of Parliament for Asokwa constituency, Madam Patricia Appiagyei was optimistic of a united effort to ensure empowered females.

“This can be a pioneering effort to abandon our collective complacency and to take full advantage of our roles in leadership in private sectors, in academia, civil society, and in grass root movement.....to re-write policies to change corporate cultures, to teach and sensitize others to engage in social programs and to highlight the issues with plague our generations regarding women in STEM,” she said. 

The 2022 edition was sponsored by Stanbic Bank, and supported by KNUST, Ghana Education Service and Responsible Artificial Intelligence Lab (RAIL).