Science, technology fair held at Abakoase for pupils

A science and technology fair to enable pupils and students to develop more interest in the subject has been organised for over 20 rural basic schools in the Atiwa East District in the Eastern Region.

Some of the schools are Awuronsua JHS A & B, New Aiden Preparatory School, Kibi School for the Deaf, Future Leaders Academy Mighty Vision Educational Complex, Abakoase R/C JHS, Lina Unique Preparatory School, Nanapa D/A JHS, Brilliant Child Academy and Abakoase Presby JHS.

The fair, which is the second in a series, was initiated by the Nana Adjei Kyerema Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the welfare of children and the vulnerable in society.

It was on the theme: “Novel Science and Technology Fair; Bringing Technology to the Rural Child”.

Items displayed

On display were miniature bridges, dustbins, houses, vehicles, arms, drones, microscope viewing of micro-organisms and live cells, laboratory experiments, hydroponics (the science of planting without soil) and aeroplanes, all in robotic form.

Students from the Opoku Ware Senior High School and the St Louis Senior High School Robotic teams in Kumasi, as well as Afua Kobi Ampem Girls SHS were at the fair to take the pupils through the work and operation of the robots.

Other scientific things displayed were drones, manufacturing control and display units and service drones prototype such as zipline among others.

The aim of the fair was to provide schoolchildren in remote areas such as Abakoase with basic scientific knowledge, to enable the children to be at par with colleagues in the urban areas and cities.

Familiarisation

Speaking at the fair at Akyem Abakoase near Akyem Sekyere last Monday, the Founder of the foundation, Nana Adjei Kyerema, said its main objective was to make the pupils familiarise themselves with scientific gadgets because most of them had not seen them before.

He said that would also bridge the scientific knowledge gap between pupils in remote areas and those in the urban centres and cities.

Nana Kyerema, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, said: “This will generate the interest of the children as they grow to manufacture their own scientific items.”

Smart children

Nana Kyerema said although the government was doing very well in equipping students with knowledge in technology, especially Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), more needed to be done.

He indicated that the fair was also part of activities to mark the one-year anniversary celebration of the Chief of Abakoase, Barima Appiah Akroma Acheampong, since his enstoolment.

A Lecturer at the Computer Science Department of the University of Ghana, Matilda Acheampong Wilson, said since the country had a lot of technological issues, the foundation thought it wise to teach pupils how to use robots to solve technological problems.

Interest

The Chief of Abakoase, Barima Appiah Akroma Acheampong III, who chaired the function, advised parents to take keen interest in their children’s education, especially science and technology.

He commended the Nana Adjei Kyerema Foundation for organising the event with its own resources for the benefit of society.

One of the pupils from the Anyinam Presby JHS, Rose Boateng, told the Daily Graphic that the fair had enlightened her to many things emanating from science and technology.

She said it was her first time attending a science technology fair, which also improved her knowledge on exactly what she wanted to become in future.

Later the pupils were taken through an eye screening exercise and the operations of the Ghana Ambulance and Fire services.

Source: Graphiconline