Regional News of Wednesday, 28 July 2004

Source: GNA

Seminar on Education for Sustainable Development opens at Winneba

Winneba (C/R) July 28, GNA- The Minister for Education, Youth and Sports, Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu on Wednesday said the government recognizes the importance of Education in Sustainable Development and would therefore, do its best to promote quality Education in the country.

Mr. Baah-Wiredu said this in an address read for him at the opening of a two-day Seminar on Education for Sustainable Development at the Institute of Education Development and Extension (IEDE) of the University of Education Winneba (UEW).

About 50 fifty participants from some universities in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Finland and Ghana as well as Science masters from first and second cycle institutions at Winneba and Deans from the UEW are attending the seminar.

The Seminar is being organized by UEW branch of the Center for School and Community Science and Technology Studies (SACOST) a center based in South Africa, which helps in the teaching of science in African schools.

The seminar is to sensitize participants about the United Nation Decade for Education for Sustainable Development, which starts next year.

Mr. Baah-Wiredu hoped the outcome of the seminar would be of great interest to all stakeholders, especially the governments of participating countries, adding that unless people have the right knowledge and skills, "sustainable development would never be achieved ".

The Vice-Chancellor of UEW, Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah noted that Education for sustainable Development is very relevant in today's world especially as "we stand on the threshold of the UN declared International Decade of Education for Sustainable Development which begins from 2005-2015."

Professor Anamuah-Mensah said that Education for Sustainable Development affirms the need to integrate sustainable development into education system at all levels for it to be a key agent for change.