By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, July 17, GNA – The MTN Ghana Foundation has commissioned and handover of a STEM and Robotics Centre to the New Amakom M/A Basic School in the Asokwa Municipality.
By the commissioning, the telecommunication company says it is strengthening efforts to bridge the digital divide in Ghana’s basic education.
The facility, valued at GH¢946,189.71, is expected to provide pupils with practical training in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), robotics and other Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines, equipping them with digital skills needed for the future.
Mr. Nii Adotey Mingle, General Manager of MTN Ghana’s Northern Business District, speaking at the handing over ceremony, said the project underscored the company’s commitment to advancing education and promoting digital inclusion across the country.
He said the Centre represented more than the refurbishment of a building, describing it as an investment in creating opportunities for young learners to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.
“The Centre is intended to inspire the next generation of engineers, programmers, innovators and technology leaders,” he said.
Mr. Mingle noted that the intervention aligned with MTN Foundation’s mission of closing educational gaps by ensuring that access to technology and quality STEM education was not limited by geographical location or resource constraints.
He recalled that the project originated in 2022, when the then Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, visited the school during the MTN’s annual Yellow Care employee volunteer programme and donated laptops to support teaching and learning.
During the visit, the school authorities disclosed that although an ICT laboratory had been constructed in 2017, it had remained underutilised because it lacked computers and other essential equipment despite having trained ICT teachers.
Following a detailed assessment, a decision was taken to undertake a comprehensive refurbishment and re-equipping of the facility.
The project involved roofing repairs, repainting, electrical rewiring, installation of air-conditioning units, improved security features and the provision of 35 all-in-one computers, furniture and robotics training kits.
Mr. Mingle said about 270 pupils of the school would directly benefit from hands-on ICT and robotics lessons, while pupils from neighbouring basic schools within the Kumasi Metropolis would also have access to the Centre.
He said the project would also enable trained ICT teachers to effectively deliver practical lessons using modern technological tools.
Mr. Amo Kamel, the Municipal Chief Executive for Asokwa, commended the MTN Ghana Foundation for the significant investment in education and digital skills development.
He said the Centre would enhance STEM education in the municipality and prepare pupils for emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
“We are now in the era of artificial intelligence, and with the robotics equipment and ICT facilities, our children will acquire knowledge that will prepare them for the future,” he said.
Mr. Kamel appealed to the MTN Foundation to extend similar interventions to other schools within the municipality to enable more pupils to benefit from quality ICT infrastructure.
He assured the Foundation that the Assembly had put in place measures to safeguard the investment, including the installation of additional security gates, improved lighting around the facility and the engagement of a security officer to protect the Centre.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Yussif Ibrahim