Stanbic Bank Ghana, a leading financial institution, has donated 50 laptops to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in a renewed push to improve digital access and bridge the gender gap in STEM education.
Under the arrangement, 80 percent of the donation will go to brilliant but financially challenged female students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programmes.
The donation supports the university’s “Support One Student with One Laptop” (SONSOL) initiative, introduced by Vice Chancellor Rita Akosua Dickson, aimed at ensuring students have access to essential digital learning tools.
The donation was led by the Managing Director of Stanbic Bank Ghana, Kwamena Asomaning, who stressed that access to technology remains critical in an increasingly digital world and should not be limited by gender or financial status.
“As the digital economy continues to expand, equitable access to technology enables individuals to pursue education and skills development, secure employment, and engage meaningfully in civic life,” he said.
Mr. Asomaning noted that women remain underrepresented in STEM fields, a gap the bank hopes to help address through targeted support.
“We believe that women are underrepresented. Women are the marginalized group when it comes to STEM education. We have the majority going to women just as a means of bridging the gap in STEM education,” he stated.
The latest donation brings the total number of laptops donated by Stanbic Bank Ghana under the SONSOL initiative to 400 over the past five years, deepening what both institutions describe as a long-standing partnership.
Beyond technological support, the collaboration has also expanded into skills development and industry exposure for students.
As part of the partnership, Stanbic Bank Ghana annually trains top students from the Computer Science Department, with some later undertaking their national service at the bank after graduation.
Receiving the laptops on behalf of the university, Rita Akosua Dickson expressed gratitude for the bank’s continued support over the years.
“Today, I’m able to confirm that when we knocked on your door, for the past five years, you have never turned your back on KNUST. You have kept the vision. Words fail me in expressing how KNUST feels this morning about your perpetual love for this university,” she said.
She also appealed for the expansion of training opportunities for students, noting that the university’s growing population continues to increase demand for industry support and digital resources.
She assured that the university would continue to strengthen the partnership to ensure mutual benefit for both institutions.
