After twelve weeks of immersive and hands-on learning of robotics, coding, website designing, and computer programming, a total of 700 students from 38 schools across six regions have completed their training as part of the Telecel Digitech Academy.
This initiative by the Telecel Ghana Foundation, in partnership with Mingo Foundation and Asustem Robotics, was rolled out to run concurrently with the regular Ghana Education Service (GES) curriculum throughout the academic term. The programme aims to equip Ghanaian junior high school pupils with practical technological skills that complement classroom learning.
Selected schools in the Greater Accra, Volta, Ashanti, North East, Bono East, and Western Regions benefited from the training. Expert facilitators led weekly after-school sessions, guiding pupils through hands-on activities to enhance their technological capabilities and help them develop solution-oriented devices that address real-life problems.
The culmination of the programme was marked by vibrant regional closing ceremonies, where students proudly exhibited their final projects. These innovations included smart waste bins, automated rail gates, smart spectacles for the visually impaired, automated height-recording systems, and *innovative water monitoring solutions, among others.
At the Greater Accra regional closing ceremony, held for the first cohort from Archbishop Andoh R/C and Community 8 No.3 schools in Tema, Dr. Stella Agyenim-Boateng, a Board member of the Telecel Ghana Foundation, highlighted that the Academy demonstrates the Foundation’s strong commitment to equipping the next generation with relevant skills for a future driven by innovation and technology.
During the event, three student teams demonstrated how their prototype solutions could, when scaled, help tackle critical challenges such as perennial flooding, infections, and inaccurate data measurement, while also aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Bernice Ofori, the Tema Metropolitan Director of Education, praised the Academy for its inclusivity and impact, especially in narrowing the gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
“The well-structured approach engaged our young learners in hands-on activities, which supplemented our traditional classroom learning. The Telecel Digitech Academy is a real game changer for inclusivity by empowering our youth in the digital economy and ensuring that 70 per cent of the learners are girls,” she said.
Rita Agyeiwaa Rockson, Head of Foundation, Sustainability and External Communications at Telecel Ghana, also emphasised that the programme was developed to bridge the digital divide by providing young Ghanaians with training in emerging technologies.
“Ghanaian children shouldn’t be any different from others in developed nations about STEM education and careers. Travelling across the six regions over the last month, I have seen the incredible talents and capabilities of young people. Once we give them the opportunity and resources, they can excel in any field,” she remarked.
She further revealed that the next cohort of the Academy will reach 1,000 students in ten regions, and called for collaboration and partnerships to expand the programme’s reach across the country.
Beyond technical training, the Telecel Digitech Academy has also instilled essential life skills in students such as confidence, teamwork, collaboration, resilience, and time management, critical elements in innovation and problem-solving.
Standout students from across the six regions were honoured for their exceptional performance. Among them was Adalia Agyeman Duah from Archbishop Andoh R/C JHS, who shared how the Academy brought her closer to her dream of becoming a marine engineer.
“Before the academy, I had never even seen an actual robot up close. Now, I’ve built one. This training has given me more confidence, and it will help me as I learn to become a marine engineer,” she said.
With plans underway to introduce advanced modules and expand to more schools in the next academic term, the Telecel Digitech Academy is steadily positioning itself as a key driver in Ghana’s journey toward educational innovation and digital transformation.
The regional closing ceremony in Tema brought together learners, GES officials, and dignitaries in celebration of the programme’s success and promise for the future.
