Sunyani, Feb. 6, GNA- Professor Kwasi Adarkwah, Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) on Monday, appealed to traditional authorities in the Sunyani Municipality to encourage students who come from the area to study science and technology since a faculty is located in the Region.

This he said would enable them to benefit from the Faculty of Forest Resource Technology of the University located at Fiapre. Prof. Adarkwah made the appeal when he and Prof. Stephen Osei, Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University paid a courtesy call on the chiefs and elders of Fiapre, near Sunyani.

Prof. Adarkwah explained that since the faculty was sited at Fiapre and education was the bedrock of development, there was the need for the citizens of the area to benefit from the university.

He urged the chiefs to mobilise tertiary students to organize special classes particularly for students of second cycle institutions during vacations to help improve education in the area. The Vice Chancellor said plans were underway for the University to extend its medical school to the faculty and appealed to parents to support the education of their children.

Nana Ampaabeng Kyeremeh, Aduanahene of Fiapre expressed concern about the rate of school dropouts in the area, which he attributed to parental neglect.

He appealed to the authorities of the University to consider awarding scholarships to needy but brilliant students to study at the faculty.

The chief gave the assurance that the traditional council would not relent in its efforts to ensure the growth and development of the faculty.

He appealed to the management of the faculty to employ some of the unskilled youth in the area to help reduce the unemployment problem.