Science Centres Across Africa Are Expanding Access to STEM Learning

The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) Science Education Programme has spent years working through national academies to strengthen science education, with a focus on inquiry-based learning and practical engagement with STEM. In Africa, this work has increasingly taken shape through the development of science centres and innovation spaces that bring science closer to classrooms, teachers and communities.

Across the continent, a new generation of science centres is emerging with support from IAP and its partners, including universities, ministries and national academies. These initiatives are creating spaces where science is experienced through experimentation, design and discovery rather than through textbooks alone.

1. In Benin, the Benin National Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters is helping establish a Science Centre and museum linked to Sèmè City, the country’s flagship education and innovation initiative. The project has moved from planning to implementation with exhibition spaces, museum collections and virtual science experiences already under development. The museum was officially inaugurated in 2025 and is expected to become part of a broader effort to strengthen inquiry-based science education in the region.
2. In Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences has expanded its Science Centre through the creation of a FabLab equipped with advanced digital fabrication technologies, including 3D printers, laser cutting equipment and a CNC machine supported through IAP funding. The laboratory is already being used by students participating in STEM training programmes focused on electronics and computer science. During one recent programme, 46 students developed 16 working prototypes using hands-on engineering and fabrication tools.
3. In Ghana, the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences is leading plans for a national Science and Technology Centre developed in partnership with public institutions and STEM organizations. The project combines physical learning spaces with virtual and mobile outreach designed to reach schools and communities beyond the capital. Early work has focused on educational modules, science exhibitions, laboratory spaces and partnerships intended to support long-term sustainability.

Taken together, these projects reflect a growing effort to strengthen science literacy and expand access to practical STEM education across Africa. They also point to a broader shift in science education, with greater emphasis on participation, creativity and locally rooted innovation.