Engineering giant, Siemens Ghana has redeemed its pledge to Sekondi College (SEKCO) with the refurbishment and restocking of the school’s computer lab with 45 state of the art computers and accessories.
According to Mr. Edmund Acheampong, country manager for Siemens Ghana, the face-lift of the lab is part of the Siemens localization programme; an initiative, which aims at promoting STEM (science technology, engineering and mathematics) education in Ghana by providing students with the needed skills to work in tech organizations and tech-support companies like Siemens. “We appreciate the fact that it is very expensive to bring an expatriate into the country but due to lack of skills locally, some organizations do not have a choice, hence our initiative to support the sciences in Ghana and train locals to operate locally”.
The renovation is also in partial fulfilment of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the management of Sekondi College and Siemens Ghana in September 2017. Under the MOU, Siemens Ghana is to restock the schools’ science laboratory with science experimental equipments and train selected science teachers on the usage of the experimental kits in Siemens, South Africa. Beyond this, however, the support package also provides opportunities for an exchange program between students of Sekondi College and selected partner schools in South Africa to expose the students to learn and embrace different cultures.
At a brief commission event in SEKCO, Mr. Acheampong told students that the initiative taken by Siemens is meant to equip them with trendy and essential skills as well as nurture an interest in science and ICT, which are key global subjects that the world’s future depends on. “This is an opportunity Siemens is giving you to connect to the world of technology”, Mr. Acheampong said.
Mrs. Kermah, the headmistress of Sekondi College received the donated items with gratitude stating that through the provision of new computers and a comfortable ICT lab, the school hopes to impact the world by positively using the devices provided to benefit present students and that of posterity. “Technology is the bedrock of development for every country and the donations made by Siemens Ghana comes at the right time to aid in the development of our students and spark their interest in STEM education.”
Ms. Rita Nkhulu, Executive Director, Siemens South Africa speaking at the commissioning challenged students of Sekondi College to always strive for absolute excellence, take up challenges and live without fear as is the school’s motto. “I encourage you to join the science academy expo in South Africa where you are given the opportunity to provide solutions to societal issues”. She assured the students that Siemens will sponsor any student from Sekondi College that makes it to the science expo held annually in South Africa.
Siemens CSR in Ghana
Siemens Ghana is invested in supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education not only at the Senior High level but also at the Tertiary level. Two tertiary institutions in Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Takoradi Technical University College (TTU) are beneficiaries of Siemens’ generosity.
Under an MOU signed between these institutions and Siemens, Siemens Ghana is to provide an automation and training equipment worth 25,000 euros to both KNUST and TTU to equip engineering students with the practical skills and skillset needed in key industries as well as train selected tutors in South Africa on the usage of the donated equipment. This initiative by Siemens is in order to bridge the gap between academia and industry. “The country manager avers that Siemens believes an efficient educational system is the driving force for progress in any organization hence, the need for the organization to provide practical equipment to boost science and engineering training, to make students readily employable after school”.
The pledge by Siemens in the MOU signed for the tertiary institutions has been fulfilled in KNUST, where an automation solution comprising of a Central Processing Unit (CPU) analogue output, simulator module, Ethernet cable and software was donated in 2018 to enhance engineering training as promised by the company. Two teachers have also completed the training on how to use the SIMATIC S7-1200 automation solution kit.