By Tilda Acorlor
Taviefe Deme RC Basic School participated in a Virtual Reality (VR) boot camp designed to spark curiosity, promote teamwork, and foster hands-on problem-solving skills among young students eager to become innovators.
The headmaster of Taviefe Deme RC Basic School, Divine Adenyo, stressed on importance of learning VR and Robotics as part of education, stating that these fields represent the current trend in knowledge acquisition that will benefit both students and the community.
He expressed his gratitude to the Young and Safe team for providing the school with such unique opportunity. “It’s a privilege for Taviefe Deme RC Basic School to be part of this experience. It’s the new trend in education, offering immense benefits not just for students but for our entire community,” Mr. Adenyo said.
In her opening remarks, Project Coordinator for Young and Safe, Perfect Amegboe, reiterated the project’s mission to make the Ho Municipality a safer place for adolescents to live, learn, and thrive.
She encouraged students to participate actively, ask questions, and fully engage in the practical sessions as they explore the world of robotics and virtual reality.
The second session focused on ultrasonic sensors and buzzers, providing students with a hands-on understanding of how these components function in real-world systems.
AI Engineer, Felix Sam Nannor guided learners through the process of how sensors detect distance and movement, a technology used in cars, robots, and modern security systems.
He explained the components of a traffic light system, demonstrating how resistors, LEDs, and switches work together to form simple yet powerful circuits.
He also illustrated how the Arduino board functions as the brain that connects and controls various electronic components.
For the first time, students learned how to link sensors, LEDs, and buzzers to bring their projects to life.
The Information Technology (IT) Instructor at Taviefe Deme RC Basic School, Prince David shared his excitement for the students’ experiences with VR and robotics.
He encouraged more practical sessions, believing they would enlighten and broaden students’ knowledge.
“It has been an interesting program. We have been considering this for a long time, and with the help of God, Young and Safe has brought this opportunity to us,” he stated.
“We can see that our learners have gained a lot from the program; they are happy with it.” He added,
“We, the instructors, also had the chance to engage with the technology, and we realized that it is a very valuable lesson. We hope to have more sessions like this. I believe the learners need more of this to expand their knowledge base,” he concluded.
Sixteen-year-old Emmanuel Anyidoho, a Form 3 student at Taviefe Deme RC Basic School who aspires to become an Auto Mechanic, shared his excitement about his experience with VR and robotics.
“I learned about robotics, and Sir Felix taught me how to assemble it on my own. Then they showed me how to set up a traffic light. After that, I wore the VR headset,” he said.
“I felt like I was in space; it was amazing! I wish I could have a headset of my own. I encourage everyone to try it,” he added.
The Robotics and VR Bootcamp is an initiative of the Young and Safe project of the Healthy Cities of Adolescents program aimed at educating young students in Tech, Robotics, and AI in Ho and its environs.
It’s in partnership with Node Eight, Botnar Fondation, Ghana Education Service, Ho Municipal Assembly, and Love Aid Foundation.
