STEM Initiative Scours Ghana for Brightest Young
Scientists
By Science Desk
Friday, August 31, 2018.
Accra, Ghana-
Surrounded by her
classmates, Amma conducts an experiment to test the pH level of her three
favourite foods – rice, tom brown and ice cream – for a science project.
She carefully pours each item into a beaker and tests them one
by one, talking her audience through the process while the camera filming her,
pans between her and her unfolding experiment.
Amma loves science and when she’s older, she wants to find a
cure for cancers. She is one of thousands of Junior High School (JHS) [1] students
in Ghana living out their ambitions in the month-long Junior Experimenters Of
Science (JUNEOS) Challenge, which launched this month.
The JUNEOS Challenge is a national science initiative, devised
by Ghanaian and Nigerian-based media organisation WeGo Innovate to improve
provision of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education
in Ghana and across sub-Saharan Africa. It also feeds into one of Ghana’s
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to increase the number of science
students in the country’s technical institutions by a minimum of 60% [2].
“Boosting STEM education is important for the growth of any
nation because it provides relevant and real-world exposure to important math,
science, technology and engineering concepts, while also preparing children for
the future needs of our society," said WeGo Innovate Founder Charles
Agbemashior."
Teaching
through innovation
Teachers in Ghana are one of the key conduits through which
the next generation learns and feels inspired to use that knowledge to make a
difference in their world.
Everyone remembers the teacher that inspired them, and WeGo
Innovate wants to build on that empowering influence by giving teachers the
tools, training and resources to get the very best out of their students.
This is why the JUNEOS Challenge is building on the existing
work of NGOs such as Ghana Association of Science Teachers (GAST), the Ghana
STEM Network, GhScientific, and The Exploratory, to harness more practical ways
of teaching that incorporate video technology and enhance classroom
interactivity.
The Ghana STEM Network, pointed out that members of the Ghana
STEM Network are excited about the JUNEOS Challenge as it places students and
teachers in the center as content creators - something that very few programmes
consider.
“Students are naturally brilliant and when motivated their
potential is limitless,” said Dr Thomas Amatey Tagoe, Co-founder of
GhScientific. “Now within education, it is well known that if you challenge a
motivated student, they will surprise you every single time. This is what the
JUNEOS Challenge is doing – motivating and challenging students. At
GhScientific, we love it when students surprise us and that is why we are proud
partners of this exciting initiative.”
Dr Connie Chow, Founder and Director of The Exploratory, said:
“The Exploratory is thrilled to join the JUNEOS Challenge to showcase the
ingenuity of students and teachers to provide social proof that STEM teaching
and learning can be interesting and relevant, and to break the myth about who
can do, talk and belong in STEM.”
Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, Channel Manager at Joy Prime,
Multimedia Group Ltd, said that for TV and news media to stay relevant to the
needs of its audience, they must be aligned to the people’s visions.
“We must be 100% responsive to the call to support impactful
projects such as the JUNEOS Challenge, which thrives on a vision to simplify
STEM to younger generations and JOY PRIME is here to steer this course,” she
said.
The
process
Participating in the JUNEOS Challenge is simple. Schools share
experiments conducted in their classroom based on the national science
curriculum and send their experiments either as a photographs or a one-minute
video.
After the 14 September deadline, the first round of
shortlisting starts. Shortlisted experiments then undergo a second round of
judging process in which the experiments are filmed. These videos will be aired
on Ghanaian TV stations, including Joy Prime, at the end of October for the
public to watch their favourite experiments and vote.
Voting is simple; people vote for the coolest, most intriguing
experiment that clearly showcases how a particular experiment has real-life
application. Winners receive great cash rewards and science equipment designed
to support innovation in the classroom.
To
compete in this exciting challenge, visit www.wegoinnovate.org,
and check out their YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh9Hs3DTNN8.
You can
also follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @WeGoInnovate for regular
updates.