The 2026 GSTEP Challenge year began with a significant milestone: the expansion of the program to the Volta Region of Ghana. To ensure teachers in the region were fully prepared to guide their students, a comprehensive and hands-on teacher outreach session was organized, introducing the Challenge to the region for the first time.
Held at Mawuli School, the outreach program brought together educators from schools across the Volta Region. Teachers were introduced to the GSTEP Challenge, the application process, and key expectations for participating teams. Given that this was the region’s inaugural participation, the session placed special emphasis on building a foundational understanding of the Challenge and fostering teachers’ confidence to mentor their students effectively.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Director, Volta Regional Education Directorate, Mrs Marian Jemima Akua Adzroe expressed her excitement at being the fourth region to participate in the GSTEP Challenge.
“I am extremely excited to witness our Region’s participation in the 2026 GSTEP Challenge. We want to thank the GSTEP team for bringing GSTEP to our Region, and we will do our best to ensure Volta Region wins the 2026 Challenge. We encourage teachers here to inform and educate their colleagues about the Challenge so that our children can continue building their STEM skills for the betterment of our Region”, she said.
To ensure active participation, teachers were tasked with identifying challenges within their own communities and designing STEM-based solutions to address them. They then presented their ideas, gaining firsthand experience of the process their students would later undertake. This practical exercise reinforced teachers’ understanding of the Challenge objectives, the importance of innovative thinking, and the steps involved in developing strong STEM-based solutions for community problems.
The interactive presentations also created opportunities for peer feedback and discussion, promoting collaboration and enhancing creative problem-solving skills among educators. By engaging teachers in this hands-on approach, the GSTEP team ensured that they were not only informed but also actively experienced the ideation, solution design, and presentation processes.
Expressing gratitude to the GSTEP team, the Volta Regional STMIE Coordinator, Rosemary Emefa Ahiadeke said;
“We want to thank the GSTEP team for bringing GSTEP to our Region. Our teachers are very excited about the Challenge, and I am confident that more teams from the Region will advance to the next stage. Volta Region is known for winning competitions like this, so I am certain the winning team for 2026 will come from here.”
This tailored, face-to-face engagement equipped Volta Region teachers with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to guide their students as the region participates in the GSTEP Challenge for the first time, setting the stage for meaningful participation and innovation. Teachers expressed their gratitude and determination to see more of their teams succeed in the 2026 Challenge.
One big question remains: will the Volta Region, as a new participant, clinch the 2026 GSTEP Challenge?
