Send Engineering students for service at engineering organisations - GIE

Tema, Feb. 06, GNA -- The Ghana Institution of Engineers (GIE) on Saturday advocated that students in engineering be posted to engineering organisations for their national service in order to gain experience. Mrs Carlien Bou-Chedid, a Civil Engineer and Executive Secretary of the GIE, who made the call said engineering requires continuous studying to refresh the memory so asking its students to work in other organisations rather than the subject area becomes inappropriate.

Mrs Bou-Chedid, who is also an executive member of Women in Engineering (WINE) was answering a question by a student as to why engineering students are posted to teach during their national service rather than their area of specialisation, during a lecture on "Studying" at the Our Lady of Mercy (OLMA) Senior Secondary School at Tema. The lecture, organised by the Guidance/Counselling Unit of the School aimed at educating the students on the need to make the right choice of career so that they do not regret in future.

Mrs. Bou-Chedid said engineering is such a subject that if somebody does not do a good job, it would not be noticed immediately until later by which time, time and money would have been wasted. The subject therefore, demands that students continue to do practical work to be breast of their knowledge since there is the tendency to forget the theoretical basis.

The Executive Secretary said medical doctors, after their training were not posted to other fields.

Mrs. Bou-Chedid however, said that inadequate teachers was the cause of engineering students being sent to the classroom to assist. She said science subjects are not the preserve of males and entreated the girls to break the myth surrounding the subject and study it to excel as some of them have achieved.

She and other members of the WINE introduced their professions to the students to serve as role models.

Mrs Roberta Apau, headmistress of the OLAM SSS stressed the need for engineers to teach in the schools to serve as role models to the students.

Touching on the subject matter, she asked the students to disabuse their minds that drugs and occultism can help influence their learning but rather form a positive opinion to study to excel. She therefore, advised students to plan their activities properly so that they have ample time for their books and reminded them of the school's disciplinary code which allows dismissals and repetition of students who perform poorly.

Madam Gladys Darko, Guidance/Counselling Co-ordinator reminded the students that the numerous subjects do not countenance laziness or negative attitude but calls for hard work to achieve success rather then fail and go for remedial classes.

Four female science students of the school, who excelled in their subject areas were rewarded with books and undisclosed cash as a morale booster by the WINE.

They are Miss Josephine Mensah, Miss Anna Agyekum of SSS two, and Miss Anna Nyamekye and Mina McCarthy of SSS three. 06 Feb 05