Scientists and engineers from the Ghana Young Academy (GhYA) brought robotics demonstrations, a competitive science quiz, and enterprise talks directly to students at Kwabenya Community Senior High School in Accra last week, as part of the academy’s outreach activities marking World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development.
The event, held on March 4, brought together members and alumni of the GhYA alongside scientists from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Institute of Industrial Research, with career counselling partners Firefly and the Joyful Journey Career Counselling and Mentorship Institute also taking part.
GhYA Co-Chair Dr Latifatu Mohammed told students that engineering was less about memorising formulas and more about approaching everyday problems with curiosity and creativity.
“Engineering is fundamentally about creativity, curiosity, and the courage to ask questions about how we can make things work better and improve lives,” she said, urging students not to be intimidated by mathematics and science but to see them as practical tools for solving challenges in their communities.
Dr Mohammed said Ghana’s development will depend increasingly on young people willing to translate scientific knowledge into real solutions, particularly in areas such as climate change, infrastructure, healthcare innovation, and digital transformation.
Students competed in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) quiz where winners received cash prizes and certificates, before observing a live robotics demonstration that showed how engineering principles translate into functioning technology. A session on running and sustaining an enterprise rounded out the programme, covering strategic planning, financial discipline, and market positioning.
Headmistress Hajia Rahinatu Yakubu Salifu welcomed the initiative, saying direct engagement between professionals and students creates a lasting impression that classroom instruction alone cannot replicate.
“Opportunities like this help build confidence and expose students to future careers in science and engineering,” she said.
Beyond the top performers, organizers said all participants would benefit from continued mentorship, with refined proposals shared with potential partners who may support promising ideas into viable ventures.
The GhYA, the youth arm of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, focuses on science outreach, research collaboration, and policy engagement. Organisers said the Kwabenya event forms part of a sustained effort to grow interest in STEM careers among secondary school students, with particular attention to increasing female participation in engineering and science fields.
