The Yamoransa model blueprint—Why Ghana must prioritise practical STEAM education
It is hard to believe that, in 2026, there are still young people in Ghana who have never touched a computer. For those of us in Accra and the country's other urban centres, technology feels like it is everywhere, in our pockets, in our classrooms, on our desks, and woven into almost everything we do.
Even in 2026, some young people in Ghana have never had the chance to touch a computer. While many of us in Accra and other cities see technology all around us, in remote areas of Ghana and West Africa, especially among basic and secondary school students, technology remains scarce, leaving them at a disadvantage compared to their city-based peers and those abroad.
We frequently assert that STEAM education represents the future. However, that future can only be realized through a concerted, active approach to provide young people with tangible technological resources, not just the concept of technology. For many communities in Ghana and West Africa, this vital effort has been absent for years, and it continues to be absent in numerous classrooms today.
In 2018, a picture of a teacher in Sekyeredumase went viral, showing him drawing Microsoft Word on a blackboard, using chalk as a makeshift keyboard. This image was shocking and unacceptable, yet it was not an isolated incident. Across Ghana, many teachers were—and still are—attempting to teach a digital curriculum without the necessary tools, leaving students without the technological foundation they need.
Considering this image in the context of preparing future leaders, one must question whether we are effectively equipping them for the future. When this picture gained traction on social media, it resonated nationally, mirroring what the Helping Africa Foundation, alongside IMPLEMENTERS, TECHAiDE, and local partners, had been trying to address since 2016.
In 2016, these organizations initiated the Yamoransa Model for Sustainable Development, named after the Central Region community of Yamoransa where it originated. This model functions because each partner contributes a unique component: the Helping Africa Foundation provides the technology, IMPLEMENTERS manages the projects on the ground, TECHAiDE supplies the educational tools, such as the ASANKA device that ensures students can access learning materials even without internet connectivity, and, in each community, a "promoter" who is dedicated to the cause and provides the physical space for the initiative.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
