In a move to bridge the gap in the education sector and empower female students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education) and the National Service Scheme (NSS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The partnership, spearheaded by the National Director of CAMFED Ghana, Fairuza Safian, aims to address critical gaps in education while fostering the advancement of women in STEM.
Commitment
Safian underscored CAMFED’s commitment to championing STEM education among females, tackling issues like teacher-pupil ratios, gender disparities, and rural-urban educational divides.
As part of the initiative, CAMFED plans to deploy female university graduates with science backgrounds to schools in partner districts, where they will serve as learner guides, delivering the innovative ‘My Better World’ curriculum.
The collaboration extends beyond student empowerment to enhancing educator capacity. CAMFED will work alongside the NSS to train personnel on the ‘My Better World’ curriculum, equipping teachers with the necessary tools to deliver quality education effectively.
Highlighting the strategic alignment of the partnership, Safian emphasised its integration into CAMFED’s new strategic plan for 2024–2029.
The plan aims to triple the organisation’s impact over three decades, focusing on supporting marginalised girls, facilitating the transition of young women into leadership roles, and driving the adoption of best practices in national education systems.
Optimism
Safian expressed optimism about the partnership’s potential impact, believing it will address crucial education challenges and contribute to achieving national and international education goals, particularly Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to ensure inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all.
For his part, the Executive Director of NSS, Osei Assibey Antwi, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, which seeks to add value to the lives of NSP, particularly in underserved regions like Northern Ghana. The initiative aligns with NSS’ commitment to enhancing the skills of NSPs and empowering them to contribute significantly to their families, communities, and the nation as a whole.
Priorities
He outlined the NSS’ priorities, which include agriculture, education, health, administrative support, policing, and sanitation, and emphasised the importance of educating the NSP about the significance of their service through campus orientation programmes.
Mr. Assibey further touched on the introduction of the NSS’ new initiative, “Deployment for Employment,” focusing on developing NSP skills for the job market or entrepreneurship. Notably, the NSS is partnering with Agri-Impact Consult to train tertiary graduates in modern farming techniques, with a particular emphasis on engaging women in agriculture.
The partnership between CAMFED and NSS signifies a significant step towards fostering gender equality and empowering women in STEM fields. By addressing systemic issues in education and providing targeted support to marginalised communities, the initiative holds the promise of creating a more inclusive and equitable educational landscape for future generations.
