UEW Female FSE Lecturers and Effutu GES Hold Maiden Science Fair for Girls

Female lecturers in the Faculty of Science Education (FSE), University of Education, Winneba (UEW), have helped the Effutu Municipal Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) organise the first-ever science fair for girls to inspire basic school girls to pursue science in higher education.

The event was held on Friday, August 5, and Tuesday, August 9, 2022, at the Presbyterian and St. John Anglican schools, respectively, for 34 public schools in the Effutu Municipality. The students were exposed to four thematic areas of problem-solving: robotics, technology, waste transformation, and body functions, to invent things that are relevant to society. This was done to dispel the myth that science is a tough subject best suited for boys and to encourage the girls to take an interest in it. 

As part of the event, the students displayed their inventions for the UEW lecturers to assess.  

The girls with their inventions for assessment during the first ever science fair for basic schools 

Mrs. Nelly Sakyi-Hagan, Lecturer at the Department of Integrated Science Education, stated that the initiative was a step in the right direction to help the students understand science and inspire them to practice. She went on to say that it would also help the lecturers be better role models for the young girls in science.

"We also have a mentoring session because this is a project for girls, and since we are women in science, we saw this as an opportunity to explain to the girls how studying science, technology, math, innovation, and engineering (STMIE)  is not as mysterious as they’ve been made to believe,” she commented. 

For her part, Dr. (Mrs.) Charity Esenam Anor commended the girls for producing creative work based on scientific concepts. She also thanked the Dean of FSE, Prof. Victor Antwi and all faculty members for their massive support of the initiative.  

From top (L-R); Effutu Municipal Director of Education, Mrs. Judith Mabel Micah, Mrs. Nelly Sakyi-Hagan, Dr. (Mrs.) Charity Esenam Anor and Ms. Cynthia Jebuni-Adanu

Ms. Cynthia Jebuni-Adanu, Physics Education Lecturer, encouraged the girls to focus on their education, be disciplined, and be determined to eventually come out with flying colours in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM).      

Mrs. Judith Mabel Micah, Effutu Municipal Director of Education, expressed appreciation to the faculty members for the initiative and for being available to support the girls. She commended all of the participating schools and urged them to constantly appreciate the value of science to humanity. 

Among UEW faculty members present were Dr. Felicity Bentsi-Enchill (Biology Education), Ms Esther Nartey (Chemistry Education), Mrs. Regina Frimpong Udzu (Biology Education), Dr. (Mrs.) Jemimah Etornam Kassah (Biology Education), Dr. (Mrs.) Rosemary Kumi Manu (Biology Education) and Ms. Matilda Sarpong Adusei (Mathematics Education).   

Others included the Deputy Director, Human Resource Management Development, Effutu Municipality, Mr. Moses Okine; STMIE Coordinator, Effutu Municipality, Mrs. Karen Dedoo; and Girls Education Officer, Effutu Municipality, Mrs. Violet Eunice Danso were also present during the science exhibition for girls.

Faculty members and the students in a pose after the event