The revolutionary intervention will provide science laboratory experience for young learners to develop their potential and understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at the basic school level.

Dubbed STEM Box, the movable laboratory — standing 6.1 feet and 4.0 feet wide — with varied science sets, each of which contains laboratory tools covering all aspects of the sciences, can serve up to 300 learners at a go.

Developed by Dext STEM Ltd, an education technology solution provider, the STEM Box seeks to transform the capabilities of a full science laboratory into a compact, portable, and cost-effective unit.

It removes long-standing barriers to STEM education by enabling every learner to build, test, experiment, and explore with full hands-on engagement.

It is a comprehensive, curriculum-aligned, hands-on STEM experience without the need for any specialised facility.

Additionally, it is also scalable, durable, and represents one of the most efficient education reforms currently unfolding on the continent.

The STEM Box contains age-appropriate practical tools to help pupils to understand scientific concepts, to build simple machines, experiment with circuits, energy and motion, and engage in creative problem-solving through hands-on activity.

The innovative system, which was launched by President John Dramani Mahama in Accra last Thursday, is currently being piloted in 667 basic public schools across the country.

Already, over 450 basic private schools in the country have started using the science lab, while over 500 schools in the United Kingdom, through the Royal Academy of Engineering, have subscribed and are already using it.

Additionally, the box has also been launched in Liberia, where it is being used in basic schools. Sierra Leone is working to adopt the technology.

Launching the STEM Box, President Mahama expressed confidence that when children became strengthened in their knowledge of STEM, “then it makes it easier for them to go into the science and technology courses when they progress into secondary education.

He described it as “a visionary effort designed, engineered and produced by our own people right here in Ghana”.

President Mahama said “this initiative speaks directly to our national commitment to ensure that every child, regardless of their geographical location, their school type or their socioeconomic background, has access to practical tools that stimulate curiosity, inspire creativity and build their confidence”.

He said across the world, countries were rethinking and redesigning their education system to respond to the rapid technological changes that were taking place across the world.

President Mahama said artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, renewable energy, advanced computing and space technology were transforming industries and reshaping global competitiveness, adding that STEM was not optional.

“Today, we join in that forward march, but with a unique distinction. Our tools are made by Ghanaians for Ghanaian children.

The STEM Boxes we are launching today are far more than just learning tools.

They are the gateway to exploration, discovery and invention,” he explained.

President Mahama said for too long, the lack of fully equipped science laboratories, especially in the rural areas and peri-urban communities, had limited practical STEM learning, “but the world has changed, and so must we.

Educators globally now agree that you do not need a large, sophisticated laboratory to inspire scientific thinking. You need tools that will spark the curiosity of the child”.

“And so, these STEM boxes do precisely that.

They move learning from theory to practice, from chalkboard to creativity, and from memorisation to innovation.

“This initiative aligns directly with our broader national objectives of strengthening foundational learning, deepening digital literacy and problem-solving skills, preparing young Ghanaians for future careers, and building a strong pipeline of engineers, scientists and innovators,” the President stated.
Age-old problem

In an interview with the Daily Graphic after the launch, the Vice-President of Dext STEM Ltd, Caleb Fugah, explained that the STEM Box had about 30 different sessions, with materials designed to suit different classes of learners.

He explained that after using the box, every child in a class must at least be able to understand how machines work and be able to build their own machines.

“We are changing the way we are delivering education to a more personalised level, moving from a static traditional science laboratory to a personalised simple box that can deliver the teaching and learning of science at a personalised level and at the most affordable level you can ever have to experience practical science education,” he said. 

In a statement, the Administrator of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), Paul Adjei, stated that many basic schools, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities, continued to rely heavily on theoretical instructions because the laboratories needed to experiment these theories simply did not exist.

“This access gap has, for decades, shaped learning outcomes and limited the scientific confidence of thousands of young Ghanaian learners, and it is precisely this gap that the Dext STEM Box strategically seeks to address,” he said.

Mr Adjei explained that for GETFund, investing in such an initiative was within its mandate to support infrastructure and learning programmes to promote teaching and learning, adding that it also reflected an aspiration to build a generation equipped with the skills, curiosity and problem-solving mindset needed to drive Ghana’s future development.

The Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, in a remark, stated that the presence of President Mahama at the launch was a demonstration of his commitment to foundational learning and basic education.

He said it was also his commitment to revolutionise and encourage science, mathematics, engineering education, describing the STEM Box as game changing and reshaping of how basic schools teach and learn science.