GES asked to ensure gender balance in STME clinics

Osino (E/R), Sept. 19, GNA - The Fanteakwa District Chief Executive, Mr Ebenezer Ofoe Caesar, has appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to increase the number of boys in future STME clinics to ensure gender balance and effective competition.

Closing a five-day District Science, Technology and Mathematics Education (STME) clinic for 50 girls and 10 boys from senior and junior secondary schools at Osino on Wednesday, Mr Caesar said even though the clinic was meant to boost and sustain the interest of girls in the study of science-related subjects, boys should not be ignored.

The clinic was on the theme: "Science and Technology Education, the hope of the nation".

Mr Caesar noted that Ghana was well endowed with numerous resources but low level of scientific technology was hindering the capabilities of the citizenry to harness these resources effectively.

He urged the GES to make the study of science related subjects practical to fight under development, ignorance, poverty, illiteracy, disease and environmental degradations, which serve as barriers to rapid socio-economic development.

The MP for Fanteakwa, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, announced that he had purchased 23 computers from his share of the GETFUND to distribute to some selected schools to enable them to train students in information technology.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo mentioned the beneficiary schools as Ahomahomasu JSS, Dedesawirako JSS, Osino Presbyterian Secondary Technical, Nsutam Secondary Technical and Begoro Presbyterian Secondary School.

He urged rural banks to help boost the teaching of science, technology and mathematics in schools in their catchment areas. The District Director of Education, Mr Stephen Peter-Andoh, called on the government to institute a special incentive package for girls studying science-related subjects in higher institutions.

"Give girls offering science in secondary and tertiary institutions preferential treatment to make it more attractive to them", he suggested.

Mr Peter-Andoh enumerated the lack of encouragement from teachers, gender biases, sexual harassment, misconception about girls' education and parents' inability to provide girls' school needs as some of the problems facing girls education in rural communities.

He called for the intensification of mass sensitisation on girls' education to enable parents to enrol their daughters in school. Mr Peter-Andoh commended the past and present governments for initiating and sustaining STME clinics for girls.