By Stanley Senya/Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Accra, Feb 15, GNA – Ninety students of Ayikuma Memorial Municipal Assembly (MA) school in Accra, have for the first-time experienced science laboratory experiments and practical lessons in computing.
That occurred when a group of five post-graduate Institute of Distance Learning students of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) – EduAid, sent the Junior High School two and three students of Ayikuma Memorial on an educational tour at Achimota School.
The group comprises Theodora Monney, Phyllis Owusu, Priscilla Twum, Manuella Mireku and Daniel Osei-Agyeman, all Development Management students.
The facilities visited by the students’ included libraries, science and Information and Communication Technology labs, sporting centres, house of residence, dining halls and place of worship.
Among others, they were made to engage in a series of scientific experiments on what they had studied in the classroom and used computers at Achimota basic school for practical lessons.
The visit to the academic facilities of Achimota, formed part of “The Mind Project,” which is aimed at working on the minds of the deprived students and motivating them to pursue academic excellence despite the challenges they faced.
The elated students, who interacted and shared academic experiences with their counterparts at Achimota basic school told the Ghana News Agency that it was the first time they had experienced such facilities.
Gary Joku, a form three student, who also is the Head Prefect of Ayikuma Memorial expressed gratitude to the organisers and said he had been encouraged to continue with the desire to further his second cycle education.
“We do science and ICT, but we’ve not seen nor had physical experience with the things we’ve seen here before. This is my first time. It is encouraging and I’ve learnt a lot,” Joku told GNA.
Miss Theodora Monney, team leader, EduAid, said the initiative, which was part of their course requirement was to impact the lives of students in deprived communities.
“As part of our course requirement, we are supposed to undertake a project to impact a community. So, we thought it wise to adopt Ayikuma Basic School and bring the students to Achimota School to come have a feel of high school and what is ahead of their immediate environment,” she said.
She believed that the initiative could provide the necessary exposure to students of deprived communities before they transition from basic schools to second cycle schools.
Ms Monney appealed to the public to reach out to schools in the deprived communities and support them with various amenities that would make their lives beyond the classroom a better one.
Ms Owusu, a member of the team, said that beyond the tour, they would be organising a series of mentorship programmes for the students to assist them with their post-junior high school academic and career choices.
The mentorship programme, she said, was to assist students from deprived schools to be mentally prepared, make informed choices and excel in any field of endeavour.
GNA