Assemblies urged to emphasize girl-child education

Apam (C/R), Sept. 8, GNA - Ms Christine Churcher, Minister of Education in Charge of Basic Secondary and the Girl Child Education, on Monday urged district assemblies to give education, especially that of the girl-child topmost priority.

"The education of the girl-child should be given a boost if the society wants to develop," she stressed.

Miss Churcher cited Sri Lanka where there were no street children because the nation had placed a high premium on the education of the girl-child.

The Minister explained that because the people of Sri Lanka realised the importance of education of the girl child and pursued it vigorously, the women also ensured that their children were given good education, which made them to secure good employment She was addressing the Gomoa District Science Technology and Mathematics Education (STME) clinic at Apam.

Miss Churcher said educated women improved the health of their families, saying: "She know what constitutes balanced diet and the type of diet that should be given to a family member who has a certain ailment."

On science education the Minister expressed concern about the abstract manner in which the subject was being taught in schools, saying: "This is the reason why many students are scared of studying science and mathematics" .

She said: "There are a lot of scientific experiments being applied in our daily lives which the teacher can explore to make the teaching of the subject more meaningful."

In a speech read on behalf of Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, she said the 1992 Constitutions provided that; "All persons shall have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities" and added that the equality could only be achieved if there was deliberate and consistent effort by government, policy makers and educational institutions and the society at large to bring it into effect.

Mrs. Asmah admonished girls to erase the misconception that science, mathematics and technology were the preserve of males and that a female who ventured into these disciplines was a witch.

She said the ultimate objective of STME programme was to make the country see more women becoming doctors, engineers, pilots, technicians and others and urged the participants to take the clinic seriously.

Dr Adeline Arkhust, a lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, advised girls from the rural areas to disabuse their minds that only those from the cities and the urban centres could do well in science disciplines.

She advised the younger generation to set goals for themselves and strive to achieve them.

Dr Theophilus Koomson, Gomoa District STME Coordinator stressed the need for science and mathematics teaching to be given adequate attention at the basic level.

Nana Edu Effrim, chief of Apam who presided, exhorted the government to ensure that enough teaches were trained for the various subject to be taught in both the junior and the senior high schools while also providing enough logistics and incentive for the teachers to deliver.

He said: "If the mistake of the non-availability of teachers and logistics, which rendered the junior secondary school concept ineffective is repeated them the new system the government wants to introduce would be a mere change of name."

Eighty-eight girls and 12 boys drawn from junior and senior secondary schools in the district is on the theme: "Scientific and Technological Education - The hope of the nation."