African Science Academy

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Group photo with participants in a Wikipedia training at the African Science Academy (2019)
The philanthropist and supporter of the African Science Academy, Tom Ilube , with a student (2019)

The African Science Academy (ASA) is a pre-university educational institution for young women in the Ghanaian city ​​of Tema near the capital Accra . The educational institution, which opened in summer 2016, is the first in the field of mathematics, technology and science in all of Africa to be accessible only to women.

Story and concept

The African Science Academy was founded by the African Gifted Foundation (AGF) , a non-governmental organization registered in Ghana . Its founder and chairman is the British activist for women and girls' education and philanthropist Tom Ilube . The school was built to stimulate and encourage young women’s interest in the STEM subjects . In August 2016, the ASA opened with 24 students from different nationalities, including Cameroon , Ethiopia , Nigeria , Sierra Leone , Uganda and Ghana.

The Academy is open to female students aged 16 to 19 from all over Africa who have a special talent for mathematics, technology or the natural sciences and who have already successfully completed two-stage training in this subject area. The application requirement is also a very good command of the English language, spoken and written, because all of the lessons are in English. Every year over 200 candidates apply who have to pass an examination procedure to qualify for admission to the ASA. The selection process also includes home visits to the applicants. The lessons and boarding-school life on campus are completely free of charge for the students who are ultimately selected because they receive a scholarship from the African Gifted Foundation . The students are expected to stay on the school grounds on weekends to take part in community activities and special events. They also volunteer, teaching things like math in the local community.

The school year at ASA begins in August and ends in June. During this time, the students acquire the necessary qualifications for the globally recognized Cambridge International A-Levels . You will also learn to develop problem-solving, speaking and leadership skills in order to be able to study at the best universities in the world. Inspiring executives visit the ASA so that the students have the opportunity to make important contacts there and gain insights into future fields of activity and career opportunities.

Sponsors

The African Science Academy is supported by the international London-based personnel services company SThree , which has entered into a long-term partnership with the ASA, and the British-Irish gas and oil company Tullow Oil to provide the girls with an excellent education.

Media coverage

Print media in Great Britain, Ghana and its neighboring countries reported on the new school. In December 2017, the US television broadcaster CNN reported on the program and the activities of the Academy in its weekly documentary series Inside Africa .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ African Science Academy inaugurated in Tema. Graphic Online, February 8, 2017, accessed March 26, 2020 .
  2. ↑ Trustees and Patrons. In: africangifted.org. Retrieved March 26, 2020 (English).
  3. ↑ a b c FAQs African Science Academy. Retrieved March 26, 2020 (English).
  4. ↑ a b c About us. Fundraising. www.sthree.com, accessed March 26, 2020 (English).
  5. ^ African Science Academy opening up new opportunities for girls. www.tullowoil.com, February 11, 2019, accessed March 26, 2020 (English).
  6. ^ Opening new doors to STEM for women - CNN Video. Retrieved March 26, 2020 (English).

Coordinates: 5 ° 39 ′ 4.7 ″  N , 0 ° 0 ′ 57.2 ″  W.