Regional News of Monday, 6 September 2004

Source: GNA

Scientific knowledge to be applied to promote national development

Koforidua, Sept 06, GNA - Nana Adjei Boateng, the New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, on Monday called for a monitoring to track the academic progress of participants at the annual Science, Technology and Mathematics Education (STME) clinics.

This, he said, would enable stakeholders to assess the impact of the clinics on the participants for possible re-engineering to ensure that both the nation and the participants attained its objective. Nana Adjei Boateng was addressing the opening of the third New Juaben Municipal Science, Technology and Mathematics Education (STME) clinic at Koforidua on Monday.

The weeklong clinic with the theme: "Scientific and technological education: Hope for the nation," is being attended by about 200 students including 35 boys, drawn from the primary six, Junior and Senior Secondary Schools within the municipality.

Nana Adjei Boateng stressed the need for the country to develop a strong scientific human resource educational system as a basis for accelerated national development.

He said the Municipal Assembly had, over the three years, spent 65 million cedis to sponsor the annual clinics in addition to other interventions in the education sector including the provision of infrastructure for classes, teachers and scholarships.

Mrs Ewurabena Ahwoi, the Eastern Regional Director of Education, called on the participants to utilize the opportunity given them to develop a vision for themselves after the clinic and strive to achieve it through studies.

She appealed to the teachers to be dedicated to duty and adopt appropriate teaching methods that would encourage the participants to wish to learn and advance in the science-related careers to make the clinics meaningful.

During the clinic, the students would undertake a two-day excursion to scientific institutions and factories to interact with women in the scientific working world.

Ms Enyonam Afi Amefuga, the New Juaben Municipal Co-ordinator, said this year's participation included pupils from every basic school in the municipality.