By Jesse Ampah Owusu
Accra, Sept. 13, GNA – Our Lady of Peace Junior High School in Bimbilla in the Northern Region has won this year’s Brian Battle Quiz (BBQ) National Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) championship.
The school emerged winners in the three-round contest finals with 39 points against first runner-up Mary Mother of Good Counsel School who recorded 37 points and second runner-up Ancilla Junior High School’s 33 points.
The winners received a trophy and GHS 40,000 worth of furniture to be given to them by HADSBAK furniture, whereas the first and second runner-up received GHS 10,000 and GHS 5,000 worth of equipment respectively, to be supplied to their respective schools by event organisers with support from sponsors.
The quiz is a practical STEM based contest organised by Cocktail Media in collaboration with the Education Directorate of the National Catholic Secretariat among Catholic basic schools across the country for pupils aged between 10 and 16.
Akatsi R/C Junior High School and St Theresa Junior High School, won the best schools with outstanding projects category of the quiz.
They were recognised for bringing out impressive STEM projects during the competition.
Akatsi R/C School built a fuel generating system from plastic waste, whereas, St Theresa built a smart dustbin, that opened automatically as one got close to it to drop refuse.
Madam Araba Ahima Bentum, General Manager, Catholic Schools Ghana, said they aimed, through the competition, to inspire learners to develop interest in STEM at an early stage as they moved through the educational ladder.
“Promoting STEM education will increase STEM graduates who will benefits from opportunities created by the ever-growing STEM related jobs and this will help grow our economy.”
“That is why it is important to get science education right at the basic level, and also groom teachers who can inspire and are able to bring out the very best in our children through creativity exciting and practical teaching methods,” she added.
Madam Bentum said people in STEM careers were more likely to succeed especially in Ghana, because of its current problems including poor roads, housing deficiencies, dilapidated healthcare system.
She stressed that to address these challenges, STEM careers were desperately needed in the country, saying, it was against this backdrop that they intended to “catch them young.”
Mr Alhassan Dauda, a Mathematics teacher of Our Lady of Peace School and coach of the winning pupils, said their win would inspire them to do more to retain the title next year.
Mohammed Fadel Abdul-Nasir, one of the wining pupils of Our Lady of Peace School, said he was motivated to pursue a STEM career and become a Mechanical Engineer in future.
He said the contest had boosted his analytical and oratory skills, adding that, he had become better and more confident throughout the competition.
GNA