Accra, Oct. 14, GNA – Gyaama Pensan Senior High Technical School in the Ashanti Region, has won the 2021 Energy Commission’s Senior High Schools’ Renewable Energy Challenge.
The School’s representatives in the contest, who beat five other schools to lift the trophy, are Miss Cristolove Arthur and Miss Janet Ohemaa Nkansah.
They presented a project work dubbed “Plant Microbial Cell Technology for generating electricity”.
The award consist of GH¢ 3,000.00 for the School, GH¢ 2,000.00 for the School’s Science Research Club and GH¢ 2,000.00 with a medal for each of the contestants
The Science Teacher received GH¢ 2,000.00, a laptop and a medal, whereas the Coordinator had GH¢ 1,500.00, a laptop and a medal.
In addition, the School had 3000 Science Equipment, a plaque and souvenirs.
Mfanstiman Girls Senior High School placed second in the Challenge, while Navrongo Senior High School was third.
The fourth, fifth and sixth positions went to Mamfe Methodist Girls Senior High School; Accra Technical Training Centre and Acherensua Senior High School, in that order.
Each of the participating schools were given various prizes.
The Challenge, which was organised by the Energy Commission forms part of the Seventh Ghana Renewable Energy Fair on the theme, “Removing Barriers to Renewable Energy Development in Ghana”.
Mrs Samira Bawumia, the Second Lady, who presented the award to Gyaama Pensan Senior High Technical School, congratulated the School for winning the award.
“It is my hope that you leave here inspired to do great things for yourselves and for your nation. I encourage you to turn every obstacle you may encounter into an opportunity; to learn and to innovate. Embrace the challenges, get ahead of them and soar up high like eagles,” she said.
“Remember to celebrate successes even as you prepare for the road ahead. You must always get up and show up. Keep focused and determined to succeed. The most successful of any generation are those whose ideas solve problems within their communities or the world.”
Mrs Bawumia commended the Energy Commission and Ghana Education Service for their collaborative efforts in mainstreaming energy technologies and solutions into the educational curriculum in Ghana.
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Energy Minister, pledged his Ministry’s support to the 2021 Energy Commission’s Senior High Schools’ Renewable Energy Challenge.
He said the Ministry would donate 20 pieces of light-emitting diodes (LED) streetlights to all the six participating schools in the final contest.
Mr Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, the Executive Secretary, Energy Commission, said: “We as Energy Commission is delighted to be promoting research and development in our secondary schools by transforming ideas and concepts into actual projects,” he said.
“We are very much interested, in shifting from the era, where science education is conceived to be “chew, pour, pass and forget” to the demonstration and application of the knowledge acquired in the classroom.”
He noted that this would lead to the development of projects that would aid in solving challenges that the countries face.
Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, Director-General, Ghana Education Service, urged the Energy Commission to ensure that Energy Challenge was extended to ensure that it benefits all senior high schools in the country.
A visibly elated Ms Nkansah in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said, she was very excited to be part of the Energy Challenge, saying “it has helped me to realise that there is a great potential in me”.
GNA