By Tilda Acorlor
Students in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region are embracing the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance their learning, after being introduced to the technology through Robotics and Virtual Reality (VR) bootcamp.
The event which was organized by the Young and Safe Project, brought together over thirty students from Ho Housing Junior High School(JHS) to explore the world of AI, Robotics, and their applications.
Pretty Kpogli, a student, described the experience as “very interesting” and said she enjoyed exploring virtual reality.
“I learned new things, and it was interesting wearing the headset and exploring virtual reality,” she told Volta Star Radio.
Another student, Somaya Wonder Atta, also said he was exposed to the importance of robotics in society.
“I learned about the importance of robotics and how it can help our society through agriculture and education.” He said.
A practical session was led by AI and Machine Learning expert, Felix Sam Nanor, covered topics such as LED lights, batteries, and Arduino, a microcontroller platform.
Mr. Nanor explained the origins and applications of robotics, its potential in various sectors, including medicine, agriculture, and education.
The Project Coordinator at Young and Safe, Perfect Amegboe, said the initiative was aimed at making Ho a youth-friendly city, focusing on technology education and empowerment.
The ICT facilitator of Ho Housing JHS, Mr. Dzadey Prince David, praised the program, saying it had brought clarity to the theories being taught in class.
“The program has been very engaging; we’ve never had a chance to experience something like this before, so coming to our school has truly been a blessing. We really enjoyed it,” he said.
“We have been teaching abstract concepts related to AI, robotics, and virtual reality. Until they experienced it practically, we didn’t realize the impact this would have. We genuinely appreciate what they provided and would like to work with them again,” he added.
The bootcamp is part of efforts to introduce young learners to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) through hands-on activities.
The Young and Safe Project is supported by Fondation Botnar and aims to develop an inclusive and supportive community for young people in Ho the Ho Municipality.
About the Young and Safe Project:
The Young and Safe project is a three-year initiative that aims to address key issues such as youth participation in city governance, sexual and reproductive health, mental health support, creative self-expression, and digital employment opportunities.
The project is a collaboration between Node Eight, Ho Municipal Assembly, LoveAid Foundation, and Ghana Education Service and is supported by Fondation Botnar through the Healthy Cities for Adolescents Program (HCA-||), managed by Ecorys UK.
The initiative aims to develop an inclusive and supportive community for young people in Ho, Volta region, Ghana by leveraging the capabilities of each partner.
The Young and Safe project will also increase young people’s employability by helping them build their digital innovation and entrepreneurship competencies.
