GNPC Foundation launched the maiden STEM (Stem, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) QUIZ on Wednesday at Akroma Plaza in Takoradi.
The aim of the exercise is to excite and whip up students’ interest in STEM.
The competition which will involve primary and junior high school pupils and students respectively from the 22 districts within the Western Region, kickstarting at the district level on Monday, May 21.
Adabokrom and Bibiani will host the quiz simultaneously.
The winners from the district level will compete for zonal championship and the victors will fight for the ultimate diadem at the regional level.
At the end of the whole exercise, about 100 pupils and students will be selected to form the GNPC Digital Academy to benefit from training in coding and software development at the Accra Digital Center.
The Executive Director for GNPC Foundation, Dr Kwame Baah-Nuakoh, stressed that the STEM QUIZ has been instituted to increase pupils and students interest in the study and pursuit of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics at the basic level for national development.
The competition will provide a platform that would become a tool for assessing the growth in the knowledge of the educands in STEM.
He maintained that the future of oil and gas industry is artificial intelligence and we need to prepare our children in the Western Region for it.
He posited that technology defines the extractive sector and continues to shape the industry making it imperative now more than ever, to introduce standard technical training for all Ghanaians.
On his part, the President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, Ogyeahohoo Yaw Gyebi II, who doubles as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for GNPC Foundation, embraced the exercise wholeheartedly and applauded the Foundation for coming out with such an initiative.
He said the academic performance level of students within the Region especially in science is abysmal as compared to their peers in Ashanti, Eastern, Greater Accra and Brong Ahafo Regions.
He said the whole region can only boast of two (2) grade ‘A’ Schools as compared to eight (8) in Ashanti and Eastern Regions and he believes that accounts for students’ poor show in STEM Examinations.
He therefore urged the Chiefs and other stakeholders to show total commitment towards the achievements of the set goals for the project.
The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Gifty Kusi, who has been instrumental right from its inception with regards to the organization, commended GNPC for choosing Western Region for the maiden STEM challenge.
She stated that the Region has become the home for GNPC’s highly tech-based activities and thus need to invest in the development of local capacity to ensure that the indigenes also earn a legitimate stake in Ghana’s oil and gas extractive business.
She appealed to all the Municipal and District Assemblies as well as the Regional and District Directorates of Education to support the programme to make it a success.
The competition is set to begin from May 21 and end on July 5, 2018.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana
The post STEM Quiz hits W/R courtesy GNPC Foundation appeared first on 3newsgh.
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