Sunyani (B/A), Sept. 9, GNA - An educationist on Monday observed that the advancement of scientific and technological innovations in the 20th century has reduced the world into a small global village and it is incumbent on every developing country to work hard to be part of it. Mrs Akua Akubour Debrah, Acting Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of Education made the observation when addressing the opening of the second Science, Technology and Mathematics Education (STME) clinic in Sunyani district in Sunyani.
Eighty participants, including ten boys, from Junior and Senior Secondary Schools are attending the eight-day programme, which has been dominated by girls since its inception in 1987.
Mrs Debrah noted the competition for power, economic and social supremacy among big nations, which she said was widening the existing gap between the developed and under-developed countries.
If Ghana is to achieve any level of growth and development that every body is yearning for in this era of computer and information technology, then, there is the need for a higher level of both male and female participation in STME, she said.
Mrs Debrah said the STME Clinic is an integral part of a wider national campaign aimed at developing and maintaining science and technology culture among Ghanaians, especially girls, for national development.
The programme, she added, therefore provides an ideal atmosphere for exposing girls to science, technology and mathematics, an exposure that does not only bring out the best in the participants, but also helps them to develop their endowed potentials.
The Acting Regional Director of Education said the programme had corrected the misconception girls had about science, technology and mathematics as subjects of study, adding that the inclusion of boys from the JSS level in this year's programme in every district was an answer to "an expressed fear of the girl child overtaking her brother in the study of STM".
Mrs Debrah further observed that the most developed and rich countries were those that had advanced in scientific knowledge and were able to use technology to generate national wealth. "Scientific knowledge and technology are the basis for wealth creating activities such as agriculture, health, manufacturing, industry and exploitation of natural resources", she said and called on parents and guardians to encourage their children to take to programmes leading to the study of STM as a way to fight against illiteracy, disease and poverty.
Mrs Debrah noted that the level of participation in STM subjects by both boys and girls in Brong Ahafo was comparatively very low and expressed satisfaction about the fact that the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service had requested for the establishment of STME Committees at Regional and District levels.
"A good co-ordinating effort of these committees will ensure that STME impacts positively on the quality of life of the people in the region for a meaningful national development".
She announced that the GES had granted permission for the conversion of Duayaw-Nkwanta Secondary School into a Girls' School with effect from the current academic year and urged parents and guardians to send their girls to the school to further improve girls' education in the region.
Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Sunyani District Chief Executive, announced that the District Assembly intended to complete two Science Resource Centres at Nsoatre and Chiraa at an estimated cost of 800 million cedis.
He said the Centre at Nsoatre would cater for the needs of Notre Dame Girls Secondary School at Fiapre, near Sunyani and Sacred Heart Secondary School at Nsoatre, while the Chiraa Centre would take care of Odumaseman Secondary and Chiraa Secondary Schools.
The Assembly is also exploring avenues to furnish the Centres with modern state of the art science and technology equipment. 09 Sep. 03
