Increase Science-based SHS in Brong Ahafo Region — Prof. Dapaah
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Sunyani, Professor Harrison Dapaah,
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has appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to increase the number of science-based senior high schools (SHSs) in the Brong Ahafo Region, since most of the schools are not offering Science.
Speaking at the inauguration of a Science Festival instituted by the university, he expressed worry that out of about 30 SHSs in the region, less than five schools were offering Science.
Prof. Dapaah said the festival was organised to encourage the study of Science among basic and SHS students in the region and the country as a whole.
Study of Science
The four-day Science fair, being attended by about 800 students from 15 junior and senior high schools, is to encourage the study of Science at all levels of education in order to help find practical solutions to problems through scientific discoveries.
The main idea of the Science Festival, according to Prof. Dapaah, was to combine daily life, Science and business and show their relations and areas of integration.
The participants will be taken through topics such as renewable energy engineering, global warming, making money from waste, impact of Computer Science on society, solar energy and how to tap it, satellite use in fire detection and achievements of women in Science, among other areas.
Prof. Dapaah said through the Science fair the university would collaborate with the GES and use the platform to whip up interest in the study of Science in the region.
According to him, through Science, researchers are able to unearth discoveries to address big challenges facing societies such as climate change, inclusive societies, energy, famine, drought, health and ageing.
“I must say that we do not have any excuse to relegate the study of science to the background as we cannot live without science,” he stated.
Prof. Dapaah hinted that the university would soon organise Science and Mathematics clinics for SHS female students with deficiencies in Science and Mathematics to enable them to re-sit their WASSCE.
That, he said, was geared towards the gender mainstreaming policy of the university to encourage more females to enter into Science and Engineering programmes.
Science Promotion
The Vice Chancellor of the Catholic University College (CUC), Prof. Daniel Obeng-Ofori, said Science played very important roles in all aspects of human life and called for the promotion of the subject at all levels of education.
He challenged institutional heads and stakeholders at the basic and second cycle schools to promote Science in their institutions.
Prof. Obeng-Ofori advised the students to be serious about their education, especially Science, in order to help them become more competitive in society.
Prof. Obeng-Ofori said he was hopeful that the Science festival would whip up the interest of students in the region.
Challenge
The Foundation Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resource, Professor (Mrs) Esi Awuah, called on traditional authorities in the region to lobby for more Science SHSs so that the region would be able to produce more scientists.
She pointed out that the country needed a lot of scientists, technicians, engineers and researchers to help address the current myriad of problems, stressing that the study of Science could help eliminate poverty.
