National Science & Maths Quiz: Obuasi SHTS wins Sci-Tech contest
The Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) over the weekend emerged winner of the maiden edition of the Sci-Tech Innovation Challenge which forms part of this year’s National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) organised by Primetime Limited.
Following Obuasi SHTS were the Aggrey Memorial Senior High School, which came second, while Prempeh College took the third position.
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Competition
After two days of competition, where the schools had to build their projects from the scratch, Obuasi SHTS impressed the panel of judges with their Automated Sanitising Station to be declared winners.
Their winning innovation was a complex system that utilised an ultrasonic sensor, an immersion water pump, an electromagnetic switch and an Arduino to ensure minimal physical contact during sanitising.
At the end of the challenge, Obuasi SHTS accrued 307 points and walked away with a whooping GH¢20,000 for the team (students and teacher), as well as GH¢10,000 worth of science equipment to the school.
For placing second with 293 points, Aggrey Memorial SHS earned GH¢17,000 for the team and GH¢8,000 worth of science equipment to the school. Aggrey Memorial SHS’s innovation was a Health Assistant Robot designed to help deliver drugs and food to COVID-19 patients.
Prempeh College, who were the second runners-up with 290 points, were also awarded GH¢15,000 for the team and GH¢5,000 worth of science equipment to the school. COVSAM: COVID-19 Safety Protocols Station, was the innovation that earned them their slot.
Sci-Tech
The Sci-Tech Innovation Challenge is a new programme designed to showcase and challenge SHS students to apply the practical aspects of their STEM education. The competition featured 10 schools from across the country. It was on the theme: “Fighting COVID-19 with Innovative Tech Solutions”.
With a berth of innovative ideas, the remaining seven schools each received a consolation prize of GH¢5,000 with GH¢4,000 going to the teams while the schools received GH¢1,000 worth of science equipment.
Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS) placed fourth with 289 points for their Smart Sanitising Station, using ultrasonic sensors and robotics to automate handwashing and sanitising. In fifth place, Sunyani-based Don Bosco Technical Institute accrued 267 points for their Hand Washing Machine that utilised audio prompts to ensure that COVID protocols were properly ensured.
The only all-girls school to participate, Archbishop Porter Girls’ SHS, placed sixth with 262 points for “Archumidifier”, a steam humidifier designed to introduce moisture into the atmosphere which prevents the thickening of mucus and helps the cilia to trap the COVID-19 virus.
The team from Wa-based Louis Rutten SHS designed the COVID Protocols Assistant (CPA), another automated comprehensive sanitising station, to earn 255 points and place seventh. Mfantsipim School placed eighth with 251 points for their e-learning platform named COVINFO. Coming in ninth, Sekyedumase SHS managed to accrue 240 points for their Temperature Sensor / Automated Door. In the 10th place with 231 points was St. Thomas Aquinas SHS which designed ‘Cashbot’, an automated money exchange system to reduce physical contact during transactions.
Speaking on behalf of the organisers, the Managing Director of Primetime Limited, Mrs Nana Akua Ankomah-Asare thanked the sponsors, schools and teachers for helping to make the programme such a success. In her speech, she stated that the organisers expressed the hope that “more institutions will come on board to support the Sci-Tech Fair in the coming years".
Exhibition
The Sci-Tech Innovation Challenge was introduced after three editions of the Sci-Tech Fair had been held annually as mainly an exhibition platform for scientific and technological innovations from across the country. The Challenge was designed to introduce a competitive element and increase the practical impact of the Sci-Tech Fair. This year, the Sci-Tech Fair was decoupled from the National Science & Maths Quiz and merged with the Mentorship Sessions to birth the maiden edition of the STEM Festival, a month-long celebration of innovation and science.
The STEM Festival 2021 is proudly sponsored by Absa Bank Ghana Limited, with support from Academic City University College, Junior Camp Ghana, Joy News, Joy Learning and YFM.
