The Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) has won the 2024 Stemnnovation competition with an innovative project focused on digital technology.

Competing against 56 other schools, the school clinched first place with a score of 85.86 points for their solar-powered homemade dialysis machine.

They received a prize package that included GH¢50,000 from the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), a desktop computer from Omega Computers, GH¢20,000 life insurance from Glico Insurance Company, along with medals and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) textbooks.

Dabokpa Technical Institute took second place with 83.29 points, earning GH¢40,000, while Yaa Asantewaa Girls placed third with 80.43 points and received GH¢30,000.

Presbyterian Senior High School, Legon, secured fourth place with 75 points and received GH¢20,000.

All participating schools were awarded a laptop, a printer, stationery, and a plaque for their achievements.

Schools ranked fourth to tenth each received GH¢20,000, while those in the eleventh to twentieth positions received GH¢10,000.

The competing schools showcased their innovations focused on environmental sustainability, energy sustainability, and food sovereignty to a panel of five judges.

The competition was organised by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the NEIP, under the theme “Addressing Future Challenges Now.”

Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education, commended the winners and all participating schools for their ingenuity and skills, stating, “Stemnnovation has come to stay.”

He emphasized that STEM education has the potential to transform the educational landscape in the country.

The minister said that the competition would provide students with opportunities to discover and harness their creative talents for the benefit of the world.

“Ghana has the best group of students in the world to develop projects to transform the country’s socio-economic development,” he said.

He mentioned that the government has renovated schools such as St. Barnabas Basic School in Osu and Dzertokoe Basic School in the Volta region to provide state-of-the-art learning environments.

Dr. Adutwum also announced that the Juaben Model STEM Junior High School and other STEM institutions would soon be inaugurated and ready for operation.

He said that those schools would play a crucial role in transforming the country’s development by equipping students with the 21st-century skills essential for modern classrooms.

Erastus Efa Wusu Manu, one of the winners from Obuasi SHTS, expressed his excitement about the achievement and hopes to increase production with the help of investors.

He said that the team plans to collaborate with experts to test the prototype dialysis machine, ensuring it meets international standards for commercialisation.