Apowa (W/R), Sept. 3, GNA - The shortfall in human resources and scientific progress in Africa can be redressed only by ensuring that the education of both boys and girls in science and technology is complete and comprehensive, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister for Education and Sports said on Saturday.

He said science and technology education was what was needed to equip the youth with the requisite skills to face the challenges of the emerging information society and knowledge-based economy. These were contained in an address read for him at the end of a week's Science, Technology and Mathematics Education (STME) clinic for students in the Ahanta West District at Apowa, near Takoradi on Saturday. The 85 participants at the clinic on the theme: "STME for wealth creation, physics as a tool", was made up of 65 girls and 15 boys selected from 33 first and second cycle schools in the District. Mr Osafo-Maafo stressed the need for students to take full advantage of science and technology education being offered not only because of its enormous benefits but also because "it is the bedrock of the nation's development".

The Minister emphasized the crucial role of education in poverty reduction as well as being the key for wealth creation for the empowerment of the people.

Mr Osafo-Maafo said the Government would continue to support annual STME clinics to eliminate illiteracy, ignorance, disease and poverty. A national Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and Science Resource Centre had been established to promote the teaching and learning of all science and technology-related subjects, he said.

On HIV/AIDS, Mr Osafo-Maafo said the country needed more scientifically minded citizen to support the education to combat the spread of the pandemic and advised the people, particularly the youth to keep themselves pure form sexual misconduct. Mr Kwesi Biney, Ahanta West District Chief Executive said science and technology education though innovations had the capacity to turn around the country's fortunes.

He urged the participants to use the occasion to reflect on only one of the numerous resources that the country was blessed with, but which due to lack of scientific knowledge these resources could not be utilized for the benefit of the people.

Mr Biney commended the World Vision for the immense support for the promotion of education in the District.

Nana Gyante Panin, Chief of Abora-Ahanta urged the Ghana Education Service to review the organization of STME clinics to give equal participation to both boys and girls.

He said the present practice where girls formed a greater percentage of participants at such clinics could create another problem where boys would find themselves lagging behind in science and technology education.

Mrs Henrietta Eyieson, an educationist who presided, advised participants to continue to learn and conduct research into scientific aspects of everyday life. Deserving participants were presented with awards. 03 Sept. 05