The introduction of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) into our education curriculum is seen by some as a long overdue positive direction. 

It is believed that STEM would demystify and break any myths that once surrounded the study of Science and its related subjects in our schools. Some such myths kept young girls especially from pursuing such subjects believing they were too difficult and mostly men concentrated subject areas.

Catalyst

The focus on STEM education has been seen as the main catalyst in the development agenda of many advanced countries.   Their practical application to life and their usefulness in solving problems of everyday life are immeasurable. 

That is why one sees STEM as a welcome idea for our schools with our curriculum leaning towards STEM-based subjects. What one needs is for the Ghana Education Service (GES) to give Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics all the necessary push to attract many of our young minds, especially the girls, as their preferred study and future career preference.

But as the GES is doing its bit, partnerships need to be sought outside of the education service from NGOs and corporate entities that are most likely going to be end beneficiaries/employers of future STEM products.  Such groups would need to support STEM to take good roots in our schools’ curriculum and eventually lead our development agenda.

Zonta Club

The idea sits well with Zonta Club of Accra, a service non-governmental organisation with a focus on the development of women and girls. As part of its ideals to support worthy developmental causes in society, the Club has seen it necessary to contribute its quota to the success of STEM education in the country.

Consequently, the Club carried out the first of its avowed pledge to partner with a training entity in STEM, Practical Education Network (PEN), to conduct a series of training workshops for teachers of STEM. The training, to be held once a year, will cover a period of three years.

The training workshops will afford the STEM teachers the opportunity to learn, design and share hands-on activities which are directed to complement the GES curriculum from low-cost and locally available materials.

At the first of the training sessions held last week at the PEN resource centre in Accra, the 10 beneficiaries were STEM teachers from selected schools in the Abokobi municipality. 

Zonta Club already has some ongoing reproductive health programmes started in a cluster of schools in the municipality some three years ago. Contributing to STEM education in the same cluster of schools therefore allows the Club to extend holistic educational contribution to the progress of school children in the deprived community.

At the opening ceremony for the training workshop, the programme manager for PEN, Joseph Quaye Amoo presented an overview of the stages of the PEN hands-on STEM training.

In her opening remarks, the President of Zonta Club of Accra, Mrs. Clara Browne said education has always been at the heart of Zonta’s commitment to society. She said that as part of the Club’s biennium projects, they would for the next three years, collaborate with PEN and the GES to sponsor preferably, 10 female teachers in STEM each year to undergo training that will enhance their teaching of the subjects.

She said she believed that the Zonta training programme with PEN would enhance the skills of the beneficiaries who would in turn contribute to imparting knowledge to the children in their schools.

In the course of the programme, participants were introduced to practical everyday activities which were all science-based using local materials. Participants shared their views and feedback which were all encouraging.

One wonders why it has taken us some time to focus on STEM education as the next step to advancement knowing how countries like India and Singapore for example have reached their development with a STEM focus in their education.

However, as the saying goes, it is better late than never.  A look around us, one believes that there is already extensive interest in STEM courses now at the tertiary level. 

It all makes one see a world of possibilities opening up for our young ones.  Courses like Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, and Petroleum engineering are all providing an exciting future.

If only GES could sustain the interest which is so far gathering at the basic level in our education system as far as STEM is concerned, the better for us. The needed encouragement and support should be carried higher by all means.

In no time, we should see advancement in our development sooner than later because we turned around to focus on STEM. That should be our story.