Tullow Ghana has revived its commitments to the significance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme by devising initiative to ensure sustainability of the programme.
This was when the oil company assembled its key internal and external stakeholders and partners to share with them the various initiatives that have been embarked upon within the last three years through its implementers with regards to STEM education.
This falls in line with Tullow’s interest in investing in STEM education in the country and complimenting Ghana’s development agenda of promoting STEM education.
The STEM programme is aimed at building capacity and skills acquisition from the basic level to the tertiary level. This Tullow believes that beginning this initiative at an early age will contribute enormously to develop full interest in study areas in the quest to promoting innovation and creativity among them.
Speaking with the Goldstreet Business during the maiden edition of Tullow Ghana STEM Share Fair event organized in Accra last Thursday, Social Performance Manager of Tullow, Edmund Fiifi Enchill said the event is also meant to avoid duplication of similar programmes and that there was the need for organisations and institutions to partner to develop STEM initiative.
“There are many institutions that are doing similar projects or thinking of embarking on such projects. So then if this information is shared then we can collaborate to support STEM education”, he reiterated.
As part of Tullow’s Ghana’s social performance policy, it has established the Pre-Tertiary STEM Programme, also known as ‘Educate to Innovate with STEM’. The programme supports 2000 students from 10 high schools in Ghana’s Western Region with after-school, mentorship and teaching support to equip and prepare students for their science exams, and encouraging them to choose sciences at the second cycle level right through to university.
The implementers for pre-tertiary STEM initiatives include Sabre Education, Youth Bridge Foundation and Africa Science Academy whiles the tertiary STEM implementers are Right to Dream and Field Trip.
A number of successes that have been chalked were shared by the implementers. For instance, with Tullow Ghana’s support, Sabre Education has constructed 10 kindergarten schools in some selected communities in the Western Region.
