The government has introduced a programme for non-science students from the Senior High Schools(SHS) in the country who want to pursue engineering at the tertiary level.
Dubbed, “Pre-Engineering Programme,” it is a year detailed programme designed to prepare and train secondary school graduates with non-science background for enrolment into Bachelor of Science in engineering programmes at the University.
Dr Eric Nkansah, Acting Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES),who disclosed these said”The programme is a game changer that will open doors to many non-science secondary school graduates, especially Visual Arts graduates who have the desire and possess the ability and creative mind to be trained as the innovative and creative engineers to drive the industrialisation in our dear country.”
According to the Acting Director General, two universities-Univeristy of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa and Pentecost University, Accra, have been selected to pilot the programme.
Dr Nkansah was speaking at the climax of the 70th Anniversary of the Saint Louis Senior High School, at the weekend.
The celebration was under the theme, “Maintaining Our Heritage, Transforming Our World.”
He noted that only 12 per cent of SHS students were currently enrolled in the sciences.
“This level of science enrolment,” he underscored,” will not create sufficient pipeline of students required to meet the 60:40 science-humanities ratio target envisaged by our Education Strategic Plan(ESP 2018-2030).”
To address the challenge, he mentioned government‘s determination to expand and retool science resource centers of some existing SHSs to improve science enrolment and the quality of instructions.
He said GES was not content with the 33 percent of transition rate to tertiary institutions “and we are working towards getting a chunk majority of our learners transitioning to the tertiary institutions.
“…we are working assiduously to deal with challenges in promotion, upgrading, transfer grants, teacher laptops and all other issues which are inhibiting the productivity of our teachers to give our teachers the peace of mind to deliver the outcomes for us”, he emphasised.
Nana Adu Mensah, Chief of Amakom, in Kumasi, who is the Board Chairman of the School, asked all and sundry to come together to promote the school not for their own interests but for the future generation.
Headmistress of the School, AmaKyerewaaBenefo, touched on challenges facing them such as overcrowding and congestion in the classrooms, dormitories and dining halls.
Abandoned and uncompleted structures namely, assembly halls and classroom blocks,lack of fields for sporting activities, and challenges with control and discipline of students, among the lots.
She appealed for all stalled projects to be revived, completed and handed over to the school.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE,KUMASI
