On February 23-24, 2022, the first Annual Impact Roundtable Discussion and Robotics Competition (AIRTAD22) was organized under the Yamoransa Model Labs Program to commemorate the 5- years of promoting sustainable STEM education in Ghana and beyond.

With a growing interest in STEM in Ghana, The Yamoransa Model Labs have in the past 5 years been an effective and sustainable means to promoting STEM education.

The two-day event brought together stakeholders of the Yamoransa Model Labs who shared with the audience and Ghanaians the successes achieved with the project since its inception in 2016.

Day 1 of the First Annual Impact Roundtable Discussion organized by IMPLEMENTERS and funded by the Helping Africa Foundation ended with a series of Roundtable discussions.

All 11 labs of the Yamoransa Model Labs Program and Yamoransa Model Lab Gambia took turns to speak of their various centers and the enormous benefits their communities are benefitting from the facilities.

In a roundtable discussion with Dr. Deborah Rose (President, Helping Africa Foundation), Mr. Japhet Aryiku ( Ex. Director of HAF), Hon Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare (MP, Techiman North), Ms. Sukai Sey (Promoter, YM Gambia), and Mr. Kaffui Prebbie ( Director, IMPLEMENTERS), the panel discussed the progress, challenges, and opportunities The Yamoransa Model Labs has experienced in five years.

The President of the Helping Africa Foundation, Dr. Deborah Rose, expressed her excitement about the progress of the Yamoransa Model Labs Program and encouraged the project beneficiaries to make good use of the facilities.

Executive Director of HAF, Mr. Japhet Aryiku used the opportunity to reiterate the organizations’ vision to promote STEM education across Africa and extended a public call to the Ghanaian government to partner with the project, and included a budget in the national budget for education to help the organization establish the Yamoransa Model Labs across all public schools in the country.

Mr. Kaffui Prebbie, Project Director for IMPLEMENTERS also took the opportunity to share with the audience how TECHAIDE developed the ASANKA tool to power the EduLabs of the Yamoransa Model Labs and also invited corporate Ghana, NGOs, groups/associations to partner with them on how to use ICT to improve education and support youth development.

Promoter for the Yamoransamodel Labs 10, Hon Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, MP for Techiman North Constituency used the platform to show her gratitude and appreciation to the Helping Africa Foundation and shared the progress on how the facility has increased attendance of school children in her constituency. The former Minister of Tourism also pledged to encourage her fellow members of parliament to reach out and partner with the Helping Africa Foundation to build more of the Yamoransa Model labs in their communities to improve STEM education in the country.

 

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The last panel discussion of the day comprised Larissa Akrofie, Founder of Heel and Levers, Joshua Opoku Agyeman, President of IOT Hub Africa, Dr. Yaw Yirenkyi of Ghana Robotics Academy Foundation, and a representative from GIFEC.

The panelists elaborated on how their individual organizations are championing the STEM agenda, the importance of promoting more female involvement in STEM, and ultimately getting governments’ support for their works in STEM education across the country.

Watch highlights of the first day of AIRTAD22 below.

Over the past five years, the Yamoransa Model Labs Program has benefited over 73,000 students in 125 schools in Ghana and The Gambia. At the Primary, Junior High, and Senior High School levels, the program sharpens their critical thinking skills and provides practical knowledge of Information Technology and Robotics.

Meet Kafui Prebbie, the Techaide CEO improving ICT education across Ghana