Regional News of Wednesday, 12 July 2023

Source: Nicholas Tetteh

Accra High School students receive training in drone development

The headmistress receives the tablets on behalf of the school The headmistress receives the tablets on behalf of the school

The Accra High School located in the capital city of Ghana hosted delegates of the Quality Education Academy (QEA) of Winston Salem, North Carolina based in the United States to train students on how to develop drones as means to solve problems.

The training program was hosted at Accra High School’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Center to enlighten the students on the development of drones and their uses in the field of science and engineering work.

The day program held on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, was organised by Art Cares Foundation in collaboration with African Root Travel to also detail to the participants on the economic benefits of drone technology as a means to avert financial challenges for the individual.

Quality Education Academy group on their visit also donated five tablets to support academic works at STEM.

Donald Sweeper, a drone technician and a founder of Sweep Worxs says his outfit will connect with QEA to train Ghanaian students in drone workforce technology development with a focus on entrepreneur skills to address and ease work at construction sites.

Speaking about the use of the drone, he emphasized that the technological nature of the drone has replaced the use of indigenous tools such as tape measures in construction works.

“The drone’s cameras can be used to take pictures in three matters; in construction sites, keeping construction updates and assessing lines and for other opportunities”, he explained.

Interacting with students on how to generate revenue with the drone he said: “We are also going to show students how to build their drone so that it can be customized for purpose for use, so you can combine other components and put it in the other with your body skills for other nations and other companies for revenue.”

Barry Mavrice Nii Ayitey Cheetham, a Ghanaian-American and the Director of Art Cares Foundation noted that the foundation choose Accra High School in Ghana based on transparency and the STEM’s facility and academic track record as among seven other STEM schools in Ghana.

According to him, Art Cares Foundation has been in contact with QEA for years to visit Ghana to connect with their roots and establish emotion with their roots, and that has materialised.

Asked about other STEM schools in the country, he said: “We will extend the training to STEM schools in the country focusing solely on Ghana.”

The headmistress of Accra High School, Evelyn Sagbil Nabia expressed that the school appreciated the partnership with QEA adding that the aim of QEA to teach their students how to build drones will impact the economy.

She mentioned that the school as the first to host the visitors will engage the Minister of Education to officially grant permission for Sweep Worxs to begin the training.

She also appreciated the gesture by the QEA group for donating tablets to support students at the STEM center.

The visiting QEA group which was made up of students of the academy and their facilitators also attended classes and actively participated in the lessons to interact with students and teachers of Accra High School.