Accra (Greater Accra) 13 June 2002 - The Ministry of Education attaches great importance to the teaching and learning of science so as to achieve the objective of Ghana becoming a middle level income country.
It was in view of this objective that science resource centres had been set up in a number of senior secondary schools Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi said this in Parliament on Wednesday in an answer to a question asked by Nana Asante Frempong, NPP-Kwabre, as to when a science resource centre would be established in the Kwabre District, which had seven secondary schools.
The Minister said it behoved all senior secondary schools within the area to boost the enrolment of science students in their schools for the establishment of the centres depending on the readiness of the district assembly to assist.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi explained that providing a science resource centre depended on factors such as having basic infrastructure like laboratories with storage facilities, easy access for satellite schools, sited within 30 kilometres from satellite schools, electricity linked to the national grid or generating plant, provision of stabilisers and with high enrolment of students offering elective science.
He gave the assurance that now that Aduman Secondary School's enrolment of science students had increased to over 800 students the establishment of a science resource centre would be considered to serve the satellite schools in the Kwabre District.
Mr Dominic Nitiwul, NPP-Bimbilla, asked the Minister whether he was aware that the resources centres were under utilised and lacked science teachers. The Minister said the ministry was in touch with the authorities concerned and would do everything to rectify the situation.
Mr John Kwekucher Ackah, NDC- Aowin Suaman, said the locating of science resource centres had affected most sixth form schools by drawing away science students to the new centres because of the facilities offered to which the Minister said upgrading of facilities would be extended to the old schools while the centres received their package.
Alhaji Amadu Ali, NDC-Atebubu South, asked whether studies had been conducted to assess the impact of the centres and the Minister said two studies had been undertaken and it was generally found out that most of the centres lacked science teachers.
In a related development, Mr Francis Aggrey Agbotse, NDC-Ho West asked when the Kpedze Senior Secondary School's resource centre started in 1990 would be completed to also serve Dzollo-Gbogame and Vane Senior Secondary Schools as well as the Akome-Gbogame Secondary Technical School.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi said between 1991 and 1996, various monies were released for the refurbishment of the science laboratory at the Kpedze School with the release of an initial amount of 30 million cedis and work went on steadily until 1998 when the project was saddled with the problem of unavailability of funds.
He said the problems were resolved in 2001 and current monitoring report indicated that progress of work had reached 85 per cent completion and it was expected that work would be completed by the close of the 2001/2002 academic year.
The Minister said the establishment of the centres was to be a collaborative effort between the ministry and the District Assemblies. The take-off of the programme depended largely on a number of factors at the community and governmental levels.
At the community level, expectations were the availability of human and material resources, commitment of the district assembly, the location to benefit satellite schools and refurbishment of existing structures. The government had to provide funds for the equipment and recruit qualified teachers.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi said the completion of the physical facilities would be closely followed by the installation of the equipment, which is available in the school. Chemicals and other materials were already in stock for the 2002/3 academic-year and when the centre becomes functional it would serve the four satellite public secondary schools in the district.
Mr Gershon Gbediame, NDC-Nkwanta asked whether any community that did not benefit from a science resource centre in 1990 could now be assisted to get one the Minister said if all the requirements were met then the ministry would expedite action to set up one for the area.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com