A renowned Chartered Economist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Dr John Gatsi has asked the government and managers of private schools to take a second look at the low level of investment in science, mathematics, ICT, and local language subject areas in the country.
According to him, Ghana cannot develop with the current low investments in these subject areas.
Dr Gatsi made the call at the 20th anniversary celebrations of Little Saints School, a basic school in Abeka, a suburb of Accra.
He noted that the bedrock, the pillar, the fulcrum, the anchor of the youth potentials must be firmly rooted in science, mathematics, ICT and local language education.
Dr Gatsi stated: “The fact is that our children need to be grounded in Mathematics, Science ICT and the local languages taught but there must be continuous investment in the relevant teaching aids for these subjects.
Average students can pass in these subjects if the appropriate investment is made in the methodologies of teaching. These subjects are key to shaping future professions and careers of our children”.
Dr Gatsi who lectures at the School of Business, UCC added: “It is time the nation put premium on investment in Science, Mathematics and ICT education including local languages at the basic level. We have teachers with limited training in these subjects teaching the subjects especially in the rural areas”.
“This trend must change. This change is needed to protect the future career aspiration of our children. It is hard to avoid basic and sound understanding of mathematics, science and ICT if we want our children to become Economists, Accountants, Biologists, Medical Doctors, Engineers, Planners, Marketers and Policy makers among others”, Dr Gatsi advised.
Dr Gatsi who spoke on the topic: ‘Education-Tool for Transforming Our Communities and Nation at Large’, emphasized that; “we cannot build entrepreneurial society when people do not have the critical skills needed to think through problems and reduce them to basic statistics to address policy reforms”.
“We must prepare our children to seek great opportunities in the numerous problems in the community and the nation at large. It is these training that will agitate and activate the innovative potentials in them to create products and services as solutions in the future. We must believe in our children, we must believe in the greater prospects ahead of them”.
To the Little Saints School, he said the school was celebrating her 20th anniversary with pride because of many achievements and more importantly, her fair contribution to developing the future of her past students and the nation at large.
For Little Saints School to remain the centre where future prospects and discipline needed for nation building is developed, the School needs clear strategic plan for the next twenty years that maps out effective investment and stipulation of achievable standards for teachers and pupils, Dr Gatsi advised.
African Eye News.com
