By Bertha Badu-Agyei
Accra, March 30, GNA – Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) Ghana has handed over a GHS2.28 million ultra-modern Robotics Centre to the Mamfe Girls Senior High School (MEGHISS) as part of the communications giant 25th anniversary celebration.
The Robotics centre has a 100-seater hall with partitions for Robotics training and practice, a Research room with computers for teachers and students, Robotics equipment, furniture and internet access.
The centre is expected to serve as a training hub for the students to explore, experiment and innovate through hands-on experience, building and inventing using tools like LEGO and Rev Robots and 3D Printer Masking, which is a common feature in such laboratories.
Mr Selorm Adadevoh, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, said the decision to build the Robotics centre for the school was motivated by the unprecedented accomplishments of the school in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Robotics over the years.
“You have challenged the widely held notion that STEM is exclusively for boys having been crowned two-time champions of the World Robotic competition, surpassing 5,000 teams worldwide.”
These remarkable achievement, he noted had demonstrated that girls could equally excel in STEM with the appropriate guidance, training and environment “hence our commitment as the leading telecommunications company to focus attention on digital skills training and dedicated resources to STEM education.”
Through the MTN Foundation in partnership with institutions other Robotic facilities had already been provided for Christian Akua Birago Diawuo Library and Technology Hub at Akyem-Oda, The Dansoman Multi-Purpose Library and the Wiamoase Technology Development Centre which are equipped with varied Robotics equipment and facilities for training and learning.
Mr Adadevoh urged all stakeholders to promote and support STEM education, especially for young girls to break the barriers and make a difference in STEM.
Professor Franklin Manu, MTN Ghana Foundation Board Chair, said the Foundation had dedicated 75 percent of their annual spend to STEM/ICT related projects and determined to help tackle the widening digital skills divide in Ghana through such impactful projects such as the Robotics centre.
He said even though the MEGHISS Robotics centre was not the first to be provided by the MTN Foundation, it was the best equipped facility to provide the students with everything needed to continue to excel in Robotics and achieve their future aspirations.
Prof Manu hoped that since the facility was under the Ministry of Education, the Ministry would develop a maintenance plan and ensure there are resource persons to facilitate training to serve the intended purpose and stand a test of time.
Mrs Winifred Siebu Arthur, headmistress of the school, announced that MEGHISS had been selected to test-run Robotics and Engineering as subjects in the government’s new curriculum programme and described the Robotics centre as a milestone in their journey towards the future.
She was extremely grateful to MTN Ghana and mentioned Mr Selorm Adadevoh who found it expedient two years ago to begin the construction of the befitting Robotic centre to ensure the school excel and broke every barrier in the STEM and Robotic space.
Established in 1984, the Mamfe Methodist Girls High School began as a community day school and a mission school until now that it has become one of the two vibrant girls schools on the Akuapem ridge.
GNA