Olivia Serwaa Opare, Director of STEM Education at the Ghana Education Service (GES), has called for stronger private sector partnership to expand Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.

She said private sector support through STEM initiatives and school competitions helped stimulate students’ interest in the field.

Madam Opare made the call at the fifth Annual Impact Roundtable Discussion (AIRTAD) and Robotics Competition 2026 at the University of Ghana, Legon.

The week-long event, organised by IMPLEMENTERS and the Helping Africa Foundation, assessed the impact of the Yamoransa Model Labs Programme, an initiative that establishes ICT and STEM centres to promote practical education for students.

The programme currently has 18 centres- 16 in Ghana and one each in Liberia and The Gambia- providing practical STEM education, particularly in underserved communities.

The centres introduce learners to makerspaces, robotics, coding, and hands-on science learning.

Madam Opare said private sector involvement through expertise and outreach would help ensure learners gained practical knowledge and skills.

“Ghana Education Service cannot do it alone, neither the ministry nor the Government. We need partnership. So, implementers and Yamoransa Model have come at the right time.

“What even makes this whole project so pronounced is their ability to engage the community. Because when the community is aware of a project, they own it. And when they own it, they preserve it,” she said.

Ms Laurin Assiamah-Yeboah, Head of Portfolio and Operations for IMPLEMENTERS, said the organisation was working with partners to scale up the model and align it with Ghana’s national STEM strategy.

“At the end of the day, if students are taught science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics without practical spaces to apply them, the learning does not last,” she stressed.

She said STEM education had the potential to significantly transform Ghana’s education sector in the coming years and urged stakeholders to act with urgency.