Agona Swedru (C/R), Jan 7, GNA - Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, Minister of Education and Sports has stated that the government would ensure that citizens are lifted from the shackles of ignorance and poverty in this scientific and technology era.

He said, "Science and technological knowledge is what enables us to know how to utilize our natural resources to solve our problems, address our health needs, create environment for us to generate wealth". In a speech read on his behalf by Prof Kojo Fosu, Director of Agona Nsaba Science Foundation at a four-day zonal Science, Technology, Mathematics and Education (STME) workshop for Agona, Gomoa and Awutu-Effutu-Senya districts of the Central Region at Swedru. The Minister said that not a single country anywhere in the world has succeeded without educating its citizenry in science. Mr Osafo Maafo noted that education contributed immensely to poverty eradication by increasing people's incomes, providing better health, empowerment and leverage in life.

He said one of agenda on the government's development programme is the training of the youth to liberate them from poverty and ignorance.

The Minister said there was the need to encourage both the young and the old to realize that in no uncertain terms, that the only way to level up with the developed world was through a definite desire to process scientific knowledge and skills and apply them to better the lot of the people.

Mr Osafo Maafo pointed out that the government through the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ghana Education Service (GES) has promoted and supported the organisation of annual Science, Technology and Mathematics clinics for girls to popularise science and technology education.

Mr Osafo Marfo said the National Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and Science Resource Centres had been established to coordinate all science and technology-related courses within the GES to focus on the relevant development of science and technology education in the country.

On the HIV/AIDS pandemic, Mr Osafo Maafo said the nation needed scientific minded people to support the education of the dreadful disease, which has no known cure worldwide.

Mrs Justina Esinam Torjagbo, Central Regional Director of Education urged science teachers not to allow their students to do craft work, but allow them to use their own creative minds in learning science.

She called on the boys to encourage their sisters to feel free to learn science and maths and not to shy away from them for the benefit of all.

The Regional Director further asked the participants to go back to their various schools to impact the knowledge acquired at the STME workshop to fellow students for the development of interest in science and maths studies.

Mr Ben Mensah, District Chief Executive for Agona urged girls who have benefited from the STME to take up the challenge and make use of the opportunity and strive hard to rub shoulders with their male counterparts to reach a level of education that would help in nation building.

Mr Chris Dowuona Hammond, Agona District Director of Education commended the District Assemblies for the financial supports given with regard to the organisation of the STME workshop and urged the students to take their studies serious to become responsible adults in future. Jan 07, 06