The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, has reiterated the government’s commitment to partnering the private sector, to promote science education in the country.
He explained that the government has focused on Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, because it remained critical to the socio-economic development of the country.
However, he noted that it would require partnership with all, especially private institutions and investors ready and willing to play a key role in the development of holistic education in the country.
Dr Adutwum said these in a speech read on his behalf at the 18th edition of the annual Galaxy International School’s Science and Makers Fair, held in Accra, on Saturday.
This year’s event was on the theme: “Imagine, invent and inspire” and it offered students the platform to showcase their innovations.
“I must also indicate that the government is ready to complement the effort of all institutions and investors ready, to play key roles in the development of education in the country,” Dr Adutwum said.
He noted that the role of the private sector and other stakeholders could not be overemphasized, when it came to the development of the nation through education.
Dr Adutwum said it was as a result of this that the government continued to emphasise its readiness to partner stakeholders for the country’s educational development.
He said the government over the last few years had embarked on major educational reforms, including the introduction and strengthening of STEM education, at all levels.
Dr Adutwum said additionally the government was revamping Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
He said access to all such institutions have been improved and been made free just like the Senior High School system.
“To help increase access to STEM education in the country, the government has put in place various measures to ensure that many youths are able to access STEM programmes at different levels in the country,” the minister said.
The Director of Galaxy International School, Mr Mehmet Akmermer, said the Science Fair was an important occasion on the school’s academic calendar, to enable students showcase their talents.
He said that the school “prompted STEM in their students by instilling sense of curiosity, and invention in them while encouraging them to develop understanding of what they know and have an insight into what they desired to know in the future.”
Mr Akmermer said society needed young people, who could innovate, accept ideological differences and work as a team to make the world a better place.
The Inspector-General of Schools, Dr Haggar Hilda Ampadu, said her outfit would continue to support initiatives and innovations by international curricular schools, of which Galaxy International School was one.
She said the true impact of science lied not only in the realms of inventions, but also in its ability to inspire students.
“It is in the light of that the government prioritises STEM education by consistently creating avenues to ensure that the ordinary Ghanaian student is not deficient,” Dr Ampadu stressed.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
