13-year-old KNUST student needs counselling – Professor Yankah

The news of Ghana’s youngest kid to join the league of tertiary players took the world by surprise but 13-year-old Ruth Ama Gyan-Darkwa has credited her success in the academia and life, to the grace of God.

For a minor like Ruth to gain admission into the Kwame University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to study Mathematics, many are left wondering as to how this was possible but for a student who sat for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) at age 9 and passed, one may not be wrong to describe her as a genius.

Ruth’s presence at the University level at such a tender age has however raised some concerns about her psychological strength in competition with her older colleagues.

Speaking at a visit to KNUST on behalf of President Nana Akufo-Addo, the minister of State in charge of tertiary education, Professor Kwesi Yankah tipped that, coping with her matured colleagues will not be smooth sailing, thus assigning a counsellor to Ruth would help keep her feet grounded in the institution without fear of being intimidated or bullied in any possible way.

He stressed that although studying at the tertiary level is not about age, Ruth’s struggle through school could be heightened unnerving, making it difficult for her to cope with her new the unfamiliar environment.

Professor Yankah on behalf of the President also presented a brand new laptop to Ruth to help relieve her of her academic endeavors on campus.

Ruth Ama Gyan-Darkwa, was born on May 29, 2004 in Kumasi. She is a native of Anyimon, Berekum in the Brong-Ahafo Region. She lives at Prempeh College, Kumasi, where her father is a Senior Tutor.

Ruth had her basic education at Christ Our Hope International School in Kumasi, and later proceeded to Abraham Lincoln Junior High School (JHS), where she wrote the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

According to her father, Mr. Kwadwo Gyan-Darkwa, she then entered St. Louis Senior High at age 10 and offered General Science, and continued to complete her Senior High (SHS) education at age 12 plus.