Event
The Annual Impact Roundtable Discussion (AIRTAD) & Robotics Competition has reached a landmark milestone. The 5th edition of AIRTAD, held from February 24–27 under the theme “Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce Through Education and Innovation,” was without question our most impactful edition yet, and a fitting celebration of five years of this extraordinary initiative.
AIRTAD 2026 was a celebration of the Yamoransa Model Labs for Sustainable Development, which has, since 2016, been providing students in underserved communities with state-of-the-art ICT and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education facilities, equipping them with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving technological world. Five years on, AIRTAD stands as the most powerful annual expression of that mission.
This year, AIRTAD converged close to 800 attendees from across Ghana and beyond, including education and STEAM industry experts, policymakers, Yamoransa Model Labs beneficiaries from Ghana, Liberia, and The Gambia, as well as students from top senior and junior high schools across Ghana. Together, they gathered to engage in critical conversations on education and take part in thrilling competitions, while celebrating the incredible impact of the Yamoransa Model Labs programme. To mark the 5th anniversary, we went bigger with more senior high schools participating than ever before, and for the very first time, junior high schools outside of the Yamoransa Model Labs network also had the opportunity to compete.
The event kicked off with preliminary competitions on February 24–25 at Academic City University College, where schools from across Ghana and the Yamoransa Model Labs from Ghana, Liberia and The Gambia went head-to-head in preliminary robotics and project exhibition competitions at both the basic and senior levels.
At the senior level, the competition was fierce. Top schools, including Mfantsipim School, Aburi Girls SHS, Accra Academy, Labone SHS, St. Augustine’s SHS, Achimota School, Presbyterian Boys SHS, St. Mary’s SHS, Obuasi Senior High Technical School, St. Peter’s SHS, Odorgonno SHS, and the Yamoransa Model Labs from The Gambia, Liberia, and Lab 3.1, all went head-to-head in intense robotics challenges and project exhibitions. At the basic level, Yamoransa Model Labs from across Ghana, alongside students from St. Martin’s De Porres and Royal Priesthood School, competed in riddles, problem-solving challenges, and hands-on robotics tasks.
At the end of the preliminary stage, Presbyterian Boys SHS, Labone SHS, Lab 3.1, and St. Peter’s SHS had booked their places in the senior level finals, while YM Labs 7, 4, 2, and 11 progressed to the basic level finals.
On February 26 and 27, the main event of AIRTAD 2026 took centre stage at the prestigious Cedi Conference Centre at the University of Ghana. The two-day session featured high-level discussions on education with some of Africa’s leading minds in the field. We were privileged to have Olivia Serwaa Opare, Director of the STEM Unit at the Ghana Education Service; Patrick Awuah, President of Ashesi University; Prosper Nyavor, Head of Education at UNESCO Ghana; and Prof. Kofi Adu-Manu Sarpong, Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of Ghana, join us for an all-important conversation on the Yamoransa Model Labs as a tool for scalability and sustainability within Ghana’s educational system.
We were equally honoured to have high-profile guests deliver key insights, including Dr. Clement Apaak, Deputy Minister for Education; Edmond Moukala, Country Director of UNESCO Ghana; Naoki Mitori, Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Japan in Ghana; and Prof. Samuel Ofori, Director General of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA). Each speaker underscored the critical importance of AIRTAD and the Yamoransa Model Labs to STEAM education and skills development not just in Ghana, but across the continent.
AIRTAD also introduced an exciting new addition to the programme: a live STEAM Debate competition. Labone SHS and Accra Academy faced off in a spirited exchange on the motion: “Innovation Should Be Prioritised Over Academic Excellence in Today’s Schools.”
The competition finals then brought AIRTAD to a thrilling conclusion, with Labone SHS and Yamoransa Model Lab 11 emerging as champions of the senior and basic level competitions, respectively.
Beyond the competition and discussions, AIRTAD 2026 was also a vibrant celebration of creativity. The event featured captivating stage plays, high-energy dance battles, and a ceremonious awards session that honoured exceptional participants.
AIRTAD 2026 was a true celebration of the innovation and ingenuity of African talent, and a powerful reminder of what becomes possible when we give young people the opportunity and the tools to excel.
