The Okuapeman Senior High School has won the fourth annual edition of the Eastern Regional Renewable Energy Challenge in Koforidua with 66.5 percent marks after a project on how automated windowing machine could be applied on farmlands.
The commission initiated the Energy Commission’s Senior High Schools Renewable Energy Challenge (ECSHSREC), with the aim of fostering an interest in renewable energy, in students of second-cycle institutions.
The Challenge seeks to promote research and innovation in renewable energy, clean energy and energy efficiency.
The Energy Commission, in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service, seeks to provide education and awareness on renewableenergy, clean energy and energy efficiency among the various Senior High Schools and technical institutions in the country. The Challenge highlights various competitions by SHS students and provide a platform for the exhibition of their innovative projects. The aim is to promote creative thinking and the mentality of solving problems among students.
Mr. Fredrick Ken Appiah, the deputy director of Energy Commission who represented Engineer Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, Executive Secretary said, the Challenge was born out of the Commission’s mandate under the Renewal Energy Act, 2011 (Act 8322), is to promote the sustainable development and efficient use of renewable energy resources through public education, training and regulation of entrepreneurs in the sector. He said it is also to facilitate the mainstreaming of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and programmes into the curriculum of educational and training institutions in Ghana.
Mr. Ken Appiah said within the framework of the mandate have joined forces with the Ghana Education Service (GES) in close collaboration to raise awareness and enhance the education of senior high school students regarding renewable energy technologies and their practical applications.
He attributed that the Challenge serves as a platform to foster renewable energy – focused research and development among students while also facilitating mentorship programmes that encourage the transformation of ideas into impactful and commercially viable solutions.
Mr. Ken Appiah indicated the Challenge is designed to equip students with the skills and mindset needed to actively contribute to the advancement of renewable energy and shape a sustainable future. Through the Challenge energy commission aspire to overcome the prevalent “chew, pour, pass, and forget” mentality in the educational system by promoting the practical application of theoretical knowledge. By engaging students in real – World renewable energy projects, aim to instil a deeper understanding and appreciation for the practical aspects of their academic pursuits.
He said the Challenge has come a long way since it’s modest inspection in 2019, was first introduced as a pilot programme involving 29 schools in Greater Accra Region. Notably, the previous years Challenge garnered immense participation, with 119 schools from all 16 regions of Ghana demonstrating their involvement and dedication.
The theme for the competition was “Mechanised Small-Scale Agriculture using Renewable energy technologies” and the participating schools in the challenge included
Aburi Girls Senior High, Fodoa Community-Day Senior High, Mamfe Senior High, Saint Roses Senior High, Oyoko Methodist Senior High, Kwahu Ridge Senior High, New Juaben Senior High, Pope John Senior High and Suhum Secondary Technical School.
Mr. Julius Nkansah-Nyarko, the programmes coordinator said the challenge had been instituted to assist in promoting research in energy amongst students in Senior High Schools across Ghana.
He further indicated that the challenge will allow students to put into practice the theory learned in the classroom.
Mr. Nkansah also indicated that the projects demonstrated by various schools could be adapted and improved on to solve some of the energy challenges bedeviling us as a country.
He added that the theme was carefully selected to enable students in SHS to brainstorm and come up with more practical and innovative ways of solving challenges faced by small and larger farmers.
Mrs. Irene Owusua, Eastern Regional Director of Education, has said the Energy Commission has a mandate for the development and utilization of renewable energy resources. She said the need for the commission to recommend and advise relevant stakeholders in the educational sector on the involvement of renewable energy resource programs in mainstream educational curricula in the country.
She urged students to take an interest in the challenge since it fosters their interest in renewable energy resources.
Mrs. Irene expressed gratitude to the teaching staff and students of participating schools, she expressed her displeasure to some of the schools that failed to participate despite the readiness of the energy commission to support them to partake in the challenge.
By the end of the 2023 Eastern Regional Energy Commission’s Senior High Schools Renewable Energy Challenge, Okuapeman Senior High School became champions of the competition.
The 10 schools participate received GHC 800.00 each with transportation base on where the school came from.
1st Okuapeman Senior High
2nd Aburi Girls Senior High School
3rd Fodoa Community-DaySenior High School
4th Mamfe Girls Senior High School
5th Said Roses Senior High School
6th Oyoko Methodist Senior High School
7th Kwahu Ridge Senior High School
8th New Juaben Senior High School
9th Pope John Senior High School
10th Suhum Senior High School
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Andy Cole
