Nkawie (Ash), July 7, GNA - A well planned and buoyant economy depends on the effective and efficient harnessing of agricultural resources, Mr Baffour Asare-Bediako, Assistant Director of Education at the Atwima District Education Directorate, has said.

He has stressed the need for stakeholders to support the promotion and effective teaching of agricultural science in basic and secondary schools to provide manpower for the sector.

Mr Asare-Bediako was addressing agricultural science and environmental tutors from private and public institutions in Atwima District at a day's workshop at Nkawie.

The occasion was also used to formally inaugurate the district branch of Agricultural Science Teachers Association of Ghana (ASTEG). Mr Asare-Bediako advised the participants to cultivate interest in the subject and make its teaching friendly, lively and attractive to the students.

He cautioned them against the tendency to use weeding as a form of punishment to reform undisciplined students, which he said, usually scared them away from developing interest in the subject and agriculture in general.

Mr Akenten Osei-Wiafe, Atwima District Science and Environmental Co-ordinator, expressed regret that most students shunned the agricultural science subject because of its practical aspect. He appealed to the government to provide tools; encouragement and support to enable agricultural tutors to adequately help students to develop interest in the subject.