Establish community SHS to focus on science, technology – UDS Vice Chancellor
Professor Haruna Yakubu, Vice Chancellor of the University of Development Studies (UDS), said Ghana could achieve accelerated development within the next few years if the government would explore the establishment of more community senior high schools where the focus would solely be on science and technology education.
Prof. Yakubu made the suggestion in a speech read on his behalf at the 36th anniversary and 10th Speech and Prize Giving Day of the Academy of Christ The King Senior High School in Cape Coast at the weekend.
It was on the theme: “Science and Technology: The Plight of Community Senior High Schools”.
Consequently, a curriculum on scientific and technological innovations should be evolved where methods of using local materials to acquire scientific knowledge in more creative ways would be encouraged to facilitate growth in all sectors of the country’s advancement.
He underscored how scientific and technological knowledge had contributed to the economic growth of developed countries by the conquest of diseases, improvement in productivity, creation of new materials and many others and therefore urged all students to take those courses more seriously.
Central Regional Minister, Mrs. Ama Benyiwa-Doe, congratulated the school for its tremendous achievement despite its “humble beginnings” and advised the students to take their studies seriously and take up science and technology based subjects to contribute to nation building in future.
She gave the assurance that the government would do its best to develop infrastructure to aid effective teaching of science and technology in all schools in the country.
Mr Ebo Barton-Oduro, Member of Parliament (MP) for Cape Coast, said the establishment of the Science Resource Centre in Cape Coast by his office was part of efforts to improve science and technology education in the area.
He reiterated calls to students to be more scientific and technologically alert to enable them to take jobs to fill the vast vacancies in that area within the shortest possible time for them to contribute meaningfully to national growth.
The Headmaster, Mr Victor Kofi Mensah-Adator, said of the 201 students presented for the 2011 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE), 98.3% passed whilst in 2012, 96.8% of the 237 candidates passed.
He was of the hope that the school would attain better results in the coming years and urged the students to study harder to justify the efforts of their parents, the hard working tutors as well as the government that continued to develop infrastructure for the school.
Mr Mensah-Adator expressed gratitude to the late President, Prof. John Evans Atta-Mills, for his directive that saw the construction of new school building at its new site.
He was also full of praise for the Parent-Teachers Association of the school for providing a mechanized borehole, purchasing a bus as well as the on-going construction of a headmaster’s bungalow which he hoped would be completed soon.
He appealed to the government to build modern science and computer laboratories, boarding facilities and bungalows for staff to ease their accommodation problems.
Prizes were awarded to deserving students and teachers for their excellent performances.
Source: GNA