Workshop on science, technology education opens in Salaga

Salaga (N/R), Sept 22, GNA- Mr Edward Gayoni, East Gonja District Director of Education on Monday called on female students in senior and junior secondary schools to go into science and technology to make them marketable.

He advised them not to see the sciences as "no-go areas " for them because of societal prejudices that science and mathematics are difficult subjects for girls and a preserve of boys.

Mr Gayoni was opening a seven-day Science, Technology and Mathematics Education (STME) clinic for girls and boys drawn from junior and senior secondary schools in the District.

He said advanced countries such as the United States, Russia and China have developed because they encouraged their young men and women to go into science and technology.

Mr Gayoni said since women make up about 51 per cent of the country's population, they cannot be ignored in building the country's human resource base.

Mr Gayoni appealed to the government to establish a vocational school in the district to absorb students who cannot pursue courses in tertiary institutions but will prefer to go for vocational training.

Mr Gilbert Nuriteg, the District Coordinating Director, called on district assemblies and communities to support the STME programme to benefit the country.

Alhaji Boniface Abubakar Saddique, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Modernisation of the Capital City, called on girls to rise up to the challenge by competing vigorously with their male counterparts in the study of science and mathematics.

He, however, cautioned that despite the importance of science, there was the need to allow girls to identify their own potentials and develop them to come out with the best in them.

Mr Saddique suggested the establishment of counselling departments in each of the district education units to guide students on subject choices.

Mr Saddiqque, who is also a Member of Parliament for the area, donated books valued at 9.4 million cedis to the Kpembe Library.

The Chief of Kpembe, Alhaji Haruna Kibasibi, called on parents to invest in the education of their children to make them responsible citizens.