Gold Fields Ghana Commissions $68,000 Smart Lab to Boost AI and Robotics Education in Tarkwa
A state-of-the-art Smart Lab and Innovation Centre has been commissioned at the New Atuabo Community Basic School in Tarkwa to provide students hands-on experience in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, and digital literacy. The facility, valued at $68,000, is an initiative of the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation as part of its commitment to education and community development.
The cutting-edge lab, developed in partnership with Coral Reef, a Ghanaian technology firm, is designed to bridge the digital divide by equipping students with 21st-century technological skills. The project comes at a time when the Ghana Education Service (GES) introduced computational thinking into the curriculum, yet many public schools lack the resources to teach the subject effectively.
Gold Fields’ Commitment to Transforming Education
At the handing-over ceremony, Elliot Twum, Senior Vice President & Managing Director of Gold Fields Ghana, reaffirmed the Foundation’s dedication to transforming communities through education.
“For Gold Fields, education is crucial, and we believe in its transformative power. Over the years, we have invested over $10 million in scholarships, classroom blocks, libraries, ICT centres, teacher accommodation, and skills training for youth in our host communities,” he stated.
The Smart Lab is fully equipped with:
• 50 high-performance tablets with a charging cabinet
• 20 coding and robotics kits
• Two LEGO Prime robotics kits
• 10 Arduino kits for programming
• Three Quest Virtual Reality headsets
• Two laptops for instructors
• A projector and a router for internet connectivity
The facility will serve students from Primary 5 to JHS 3 at the New Atuabo Community Basic School and will also be accessible to other schools and adults interested in AI and robotics training.
Bridging the Digital Learning Gap
With technology rapidly shaping the global workforce, the Smart Lab and Innovation Centre is expected to give students a competitive edge in digital literacy and computational thinking.
Gold Fields Ghana, which has invested over $104 million in education, health, infrastructure, agriculture, and water and sanitation, identified New Atuabo as a strategic location for the lab. This is due to the success of past projects, such as the community’s water supply system.
Call for Proper Maintenance
Nana Kwaku Baah, Chief of New Atuabo, encouraged students to take full advantage of the facility, stressing that intelligence is shaped by effort and opportunities.
“No one is born stupid; it is the society that shapes us. Society is playing its role, and it is up to students to play theirs.”
He urged teachers to guide students in using the lab responsibly, ensuring that future projects from Gold Fields would continue to benefit the community.
The chief also called for measures to sustain the facility, including the collection of small levies for maintenance, since government policies do not permit schools to charge parents for upkeep.
“If parents and teachers come together to contribute towards the maintenance of this facility, it will be beneficial for all. We should also consider hiring security personnel to protect it from theft,” he added.
He further pleaded for more Smart Labs in Gold Fields’ host communities, given that 10 schools will be sharing the New Atuabo facility. He suggested that having at least five similar centres would ensure that each two communities could operate one.
Board Formed to Manage the Facility
Madam Irene Apo Antwi, delivering a speech on behalf of Acting Western Regional Education Director, George Effah, stressed the importance of sustaining the lab for future generations.
She announced that the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation has formed a dedicated management board to oversee the lab's smooth operation and governance. The Chief of New Atuabo will serve as board chairman.
She urged the community to cultivate a strong maintenance culture, ensuring that the facility remains functional for years to come.
A Future-Ready Community
With this groundbreaking initiative, Gold Fields Ghana is empowering young minds and ensuring that students in its host communities are equipped with digital skills to thrive in the modern world.
The New Atuabo Smart Lab is not just a milestone in education but a game-changer for the future of AI and robotics training in Tarkwa and beyond.
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