In commemoration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the Telecel Foundation has trained about 100 students on foundational robotics and digital skills at La Cluster of Schools in Accra as part of its flagship Grow Girls in STEM programme.
The interactive and hands-on session, targeted at majority girls, reflects an intentional focus on closing the gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) from an early age.
Facilitated by the Mingo Foundation, the students, divided into groups, rotated from assembling robotic components to testing their creations to gain firsthand experience in how technology shapes the modern world.
"Research has shown that many young girls are just as curious about STEM, but they often lose confidence as they grow older," Komla Buami, Director of External Affairs at Telecel Foundation said.
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Kyerewaa Gifty, a 16-year-old JHS 3 pupil said, "This initiative from Telecel Foundation has been very exciting for us. It is our first time experiencing something like this, and we are truly proud to be part of it. The training has inspired me to pursue an engineering-related programme in the future."
Beyond technical skills, the programme also gave the pupils the chance to meet female engineering professionals from Telecel, who shared their personal career journeys in STEM.
They answered questions, offered mentorship advice, and provided real-life examples of women thriving in fields historically dominated by men.
Grow Girls in STEM forms part of Telecel Foundation's Connected Learning pillar, which focuses on equipping young people with practical digital skills to prepare them for the future.
"We believe by introducing more young girls to hands-on experiences and careers in robotics and digital world at this age, we help them stay curious, build confidence, and understand that STEM careers are truly possible for them," he said.
At the end of the training, each student received a free robotics kit to continue practising the design building skills they had learned. The take-home robotics kit ensures that the learning doesn't stop at the classroom door and allows the girls to experiment, explore, and build confidence in robotics at their own pace.
Mrs Angelina Appiah, Headmistress of the La Wireless Five Primary and JHS welcomed the initiative and commended Telecel Foundation for making STEM training kits available for the students.
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"We are very grateful for this initiative. The availability of STEM training kits has given our students the opportunity to learn in a more practical way. Our students are usually more interested and engaged during hands-on sessions than in purely theoretical lessons, so the Grow Girls in STEM initiative by Telecel Foundation has been very impactful."
As the training ended, most of the pupils were excited about the experience and eager to apply their new skills at home with renewed energy and curiosity for STEM. Telecel Foundation said it will continue to champion initiatives that close the gender gap in STEM to give girls equal opportunities to learn, grow, and shape the future.
According to the United Nations (UN), women account for 35 per cent of all STEM graduates and only 22 per cent of STEM jobs are held by women.
