General News of Tuesday, 18 May 2021

Source: peacefmonline.com

Visual Arts students are the most creative people in the country - Education Minister

File photo: Pencil sketch of the ex-President of Ghana, John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor File photo: Pencil sketch of the ex-President of Ghana, John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor

Minister of Education, Yaw Osei Adutwum has called for equal opportunities for Visual Arts students to pursue any course of their choice at the University.

Speaking in an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', the minister wondered why Visual Arts students are most sidelined in schools.

He stated that contrary to people's perception about Visual Arts students, they are rather the most creative people in Ghana, so shouldn't face impediments when they decide to pursue courses like Engineering or Architecture among others.

He disclosed that 82,000 of the students who sat for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) last year were Visual Arts students, therefore, begging the question of why Visual Arts students are underrated?

"The students who study Visual Arts are my favourite. They are the most creative people in the country. Someone who can look at your face and draw it, look at a bridge or car and draw; we say they are not brilliant because they fail to grasp things easily. When you go to a school, you'll see people pointing fingers at the Visual Arts students. We claim someone who does Visual Arts cannot be an engineer...because the person is not given an opportunity at the University", he said.

"If this child brings his/her portfolio which shows his great drawing skills, why do you say you won't let this child do Architecture?" he cited.