10/24/07
Page28
Story: Emmanuel Bonney
A National Apprenticeship Training Programme, under which the government will pay for one year cost of the training of junior high school graduates who could not qualify for senior high schools and technical institutes, will kick off in January 2008.
The Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Prof. Dominic Fobih, who made this known, said the Council for Technical and Vocational Education Training (COTVET), which had been set up, would be charged with developing the attachment programme, among other things, under the initiative.
Under the programme, beneficiaries will be attached to master craftsmen to undertake training in various vocations.
This year for instance, 160,000 JHS graduates failed to qualify for either senior high school or technical institute.
Prof. Fobih described the apprenticeship programme as a new chapter under the technical and vocational education training (TVET) of the country.
The government’s White Paper on the educational reform says a large number of the youth drop out of primary school and JHS and are thereafter not well directed in the world of work.
He said this was a source of worry to the government.
“Apprenticeship to acquire proficiency in the numerous areas of skill, industry and craftsmanship is today dominated by the private sector. Henceforth, it will become a commitment of the State to partner the private sector in a more systematic way to promote apprenticeship programmes," the White Paper said.
Under the programme, the government is to constitute a National Apprentice Training Board, among other things, to oversee and regulate apprenticeship training and handle issues concerning registration, content, duration and certification.
The White Paper said the government would also formalise community-based apprentice training schemes in all districts to cater for the youth, as well as support institutions such as the Regional Technology Transfer Centres (RTTCs) and Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology Industrial Service (GRATIS), Opportunities Industrialisation Centres (OICs), Youth Leadership Institutes and non-governmental organisations.
Prof. Fobih said the government would set up model technical schools in the country as part of efforts to give technical education and training a boost.
That would be in addition to the upgrading of the existing technical institutes, adding that the government would look at the possibility of establishing two of such schools in each district.
He said the schools would be provided with modern equipment for hands-on training and well-trained instructors among other things.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
SSNIT recovers ¢ 310 billion from beneficiaries
10/24/07
Page 48
Story: Emmanuel Bonney
THE Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has recovered ¢310 billion, being moneys owed to it by students who have completed their studies.
This leaves a balance of ¢578 billion to be paid. Those who have benefited from the loan scheme and are still pursuing their studies are to pay ¢792 billion.
The Head of the Public Affairs Unit of SSNIT, Mr Kwaku Osei-Bimpong, who disclosed this in an interview, noted that there had been an aggressive recovery since 2004, explaining that ¢27 billion was recovered in 2003, ¢83 billion in 2004, ¢55 billion in 2005 and ¢59 billion in 2006.
He said that ¢61 billion was recovered between 1989 and 2003 while ¢237 billion was recovered from 2004 to the first half of this year.
According to him, from January to June 2007, the Trust recovered ¢40 billion, adding that ¢138 billion was through cash payment, ¢142 billion through social security contributions and ¢17 billion through benefits.
Mr Osei-Bimpong said some students residing outside the country, especially London, were paying through the recovery system SSNIT had arranged with Ghana International Bank in London.
“In view of the aggressive repayment by people who have completed school, the use of guarantors’ benefits have reduced considerably to less than five per cent,” he emphasised.
He urged beneficiaries of the SSNIT loan who had finished their studies to “pay off in good time to avoid building up higher balances”, saying that “we encourage people to pay in instalments”.
Quoting a section of the Students Loans Scheme Law of 1992, PNDCL 276, Mr Osei-Bimpong said “the social security contribution made to the Trust on behalf of the registered borrower shall be applied to repay the loan unless the loan is otherwise repaid”.
The repayment of the loan, according to the law, shall be by monthly deductions.
The Students Loans Scheme which was being operated by SSNIT to help students defray personal expenses, including the cost of boarding, lodging, books and equipment, among other things, had now been replaced by the Students’ Loan Trust Fund set up in December 2005 under the Trustees Incorporation Act, Act 106 of 1962.
The objective of the Trust Fund is to provide financial resources and the sound management of the trust for the benefit of students as well as to help promote and facilitate the national ideals.
Page 48
Story: Emmanuel Bonney
THE Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has recovered ¢310 billion, being moneys owed to it by students who have completed their studies.
This leaves a balance of ¢578 billion to be paid. Those who have benefited from the loan scheme and are still pursuing their studies are to pay ¢792 billion.
The Head of the Public Affairs Unit of SSNIT, Mr Kwaku Osei-Bimpong, who disclosed this in an interview, noted that there had been an aggressive recovery since 2004, explaining that ¢27 billion was recovered in 2003, ¢83 billion in 2004, ¢55 billion in 2005 and ¢59 billion in 2006.
He said that ¢61 billion was recovered between 1989 and 2003 while ¢237 billion was recovered from 2004 to the first half of this year.
According to him, from January to June 2007, the Trust recovered ¢40 billion, adding that ¢138 billion was through cash payment, ¢142 billion through social security contributions and ¢17 billion through benefits.
Mr Osei-Bimpong said some students residing outside the country, especially London, were paying through the recovery system SSNIT had arranged with Ghana International Bank in London.
“In view of the aggressive repayment by people who have completed school, the use of guarantors’ benefits have reduced considerably to less than five per cent,” he emphasised.
He urged beneficiaries of the SSNIT loan who had finished their studies to “pay off in good time to avoid building up higher balances”, saying that “we encourage people to pay in instalments”.
Quoting a section of the Students Loans Scheme Law of 1992, PNDCL 276, Mr Osei-Bimpong said “the social security contribution made to the Trust on behalf of the registered borrower shall be applied to repay the loan unless the loan is otherwise repaid”.
The repayment of the loan, according to the law, shall be by monthly deductions.
The Students Loans Scheme which was being operated by SSNIT to help students defray personal expenses, including the cost of boarding, lodging, books and equipment, among other things, had now been replaced by the Students’ Loan Trust Fund set up in December 2005 under the Trustees Incorporation Act, Act 106 of 1962.
The objective of the Trust Fund is to provide financial resources and the sound management of the trust for the benefit of students as well as to help promote and facilitate the national ideals.
Fire guts new Kasoa market
11/6/07
Page 48
Story: Emmanuel Bonney, Kasoa
Fire yesterday gutted property estimated at billions of cedis in a warehouse that was completely burnt down at the new Kasoa market in the Central Region.
The fire, which began at 4.25 a.m. destroyed items belonging to more than 500 traders at the new market located on the Kasoa-Bawjiase road.
Items destroyed in the warehouse included lace materials, wax prints, cooking utensils, used clothing, maize and gari.
It took the Fire Service about five hours to put out the fire which cause was yet to be established as of press time.
The razing down of the warehouse brought business activities of the day, which happened to be a market day, to a halt.
At the time of the visit of the Daily Graphic, the victims, who were mostly women, were sitting in front of their empty sheds apparently discussing the incident.
In tears, one of them, Madam Barikisu Adam, put the total cost of her lace and wax prints destroyed in the fire at GH¢1,200 (¢12 million).
The leader of the cloth dealers, who gave her name as Auntie Comfort, described the incident as a shock, since she took some items into the warehouse at 4.30 p.m. on Monday.
She said her items destroyed in the fire were valued at GH¢5000 (¢50 million).
Other victims, Araba Atta, Comfort Kwesie and Abiba Yamful, put the cost of their items destroyed at between GH¢1000 (¢10 million) and GH¢2,500 (¢25 million).
The traders made an appeal to the government to come to their aid, since most of them had taken loans from the banks for their business.
A security man at the market, Abraham Quansah, told the Daily Graphic that he saw smoke coming out of the warehouse at about 4.25 a.m. and raised an alarm.
“After calling the Fire Service, we rushed to the warehouse and broke the doors. In spite of the smoke we were able to salvage some of the items,” he said.
The Weija Fire Station Officer, Mr Peter Abbey, said it was too early to establish the cause of the fire, adding that the warehouse was not even connected with electricity.
He said additional Fire Service personnel were called from the Ghana National Fire Service headquarters, the Makola Fire Service Station and Swedru.
The Awutu-Efutu-Senya District Chief Executive, Mr Solomon Abam Quaye, said the Assembly would take an inventory of the items after which it would meet the victims to discuss ways of assisting them.
Page 48
Story: Emmanuel Bonney, Kasoa
Fire yesterday gutted property estimated at billions of cedis in a warehouse that was completely burnt down at the new Kasoa market in the Central Region.
The fire, which began at 4.25 a.m. destroyed items belonging to more than 500 traders at the new market located on the Kasoa-Bawjiase road.
Items destroyed in the warehouse included lace materials, wax prints, cooking utensils, used clothing, maize and gari.
It took the Fire Service about five hours to put out the fire which cause was yet to be established as of press time.
The razing down of the warehouse brought business activities of the day, which happened to be a market day, to a halt.
At the time of the visit of the Daily Graphic, the victims, who were mostly women, were sitting in front of their empty sheds apparently discussing the incident.
In tears, one of them, Madam Barikisu Adam, put the total cost of her lace and wax prints destroyed in the fire at GH¢1,200 (¢12 million).
The leader of the cloth dealers, who gave her name as Auntie Comfort, described the incident as a shock, since she took some items into the warehouse at 4.30 p.m. on Monday.
She said her items destroyed in the fire were valued at GH¢5000 (¢50 million).
Other victims, Araba Atta, Comfort Kwesie and Abiba Yamful, put the cost of their items destroyed at between GH¢1000 (¢10 million) and GH¢2,500 (¢25 million).
The traders made an appeal to the government to come to their aid, since most of them had taken loans from the banks for their business.
A security man at the market, Abraham Quansah, told the Daily Graphic that he saw smoke coming out of the warehouse at about 4.25 a.m. and raised an alarm.
“After calling the Fire Service, we rushed to the warehouse and broke the doors. In spite of the smoke we were able to salvage some of the items,” he said.
The Weija Fire Station Officer, Mr Peter Abbey, said it was too early to establish the cause of the fire, adding that the warehouse was not even connected with electricity.
He said additional Fire Service personnel were called from the Ghana National Fire Service headquarters, the Makola Fire Service Station and Swedru.
The Awutu-Efutu-Senya District Chief Executive, Mr Solomon Abam Quaye, said the Assembly would take an inventory of the items after which it would meet the victims to discuss ways of assisting them.
Chemistry textbooks for schools
November 5, 2007
page 11
Story: Emmanuel Bonney
A Ghanaian author, Dr George Narh Doku, has written six volumes of Chemistry textbooks for senior high schools and other institutions of higher learning .
The volume one is General Principles of Chemistry; volume two, Basic Physics Chemistry; volume three, Basic Inorganic, Nuclear and Industry Chemistry; volume four, Basic Organic Chemistry; volume five, Questions and Solutions in Basic Chemistry and volume six, Laboratory Demonstration and Examination Practicals in Chemistry.
The books, which would be launched tomorrow,Thursday, represent the first separate detailed books for the different sections of basic chemistry, based on the teaching syllabi of the education sectors of the West African sub-region and the examination syllabus of the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
The books, which are printed by Digi Books Ghana Limited, are written in four main perspectives. The language is simple, and calculations explained well, thereby making the books self-explanatory and interesting to read.
They lay a solid foundation for students aspiring to continue to university to study science, medicine, biochemistry, pharmacy, agriculture, laboratory technology and engineering, among other programmes.
The textbooks have been written with precision and are based on experience in teaching and examining senior high schools, Advanced Level and university Chemistry students.
According to the author, he had a “vision to contribute strongly to the expansion of learning frontiers in chemistry, not only in terms of research at the highest level but also to make beginner scientists understand basic chemistry in real depth and be able to link the knowledge to the real world applications”.
Dr Doku obtained his first degree in chemistry and masters in analytical chemistry from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) under the supervision of Professor B.A. Dadson and Professor V.P.Y. Gadzekpo. Between 1992 and 95, he was a lecturer and a chemical consultant at the University of Capa Coast.
He was a renowned 'A' level Chemistry tutor and examiner for twelve years. He was the main brain behind the high 'A' level Chemistry performance at St. Augustine's College, Cape Coast and other institutions in Ghana.
He obtained his Doctorate degree (PhD) in microchemistry, with Commonwealth scholarship, from the University of Hull (UK) in 2000, under the supervision of Professor S. J. Haswell.
After a one year post-doc in the UK, he worked as a director of microchemistry projects with Professor Dr Ir. A. van den Berg of microtechnology at the MESA Research Institute in the Netherlands from 2001 to 2004.
page 11
Story: Emmanuel Bonney
A Ghanaian author, Dr George Narh Doku, has written six volumes of Chemistry textbooks for senior high schools and other institutions of higher learning .
The volume one is General Principles of Chemistry; volume two, Basic Physics Chemistry; volume three, Basic Inorganic, Nuclear and Industry Chemistry; volume four, Basic Organic Chemistry; volume five, Questions and Solutions in Basic Chemistry and volume six, Laboratory Demonstration and Examination Practicals in Chemistry.
The books, which would be launched tomorrow,Thursday, represent the first separate detailed books for the different sections of basic chemistry, based on the teaching syllabi of the education sectors of the West African sub-region and the examination syllabus of the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
The books, which are printed by Digi Books Ghana Limited, are written in four main perspectives. The language is simple, and calculations explained well, thereby making the books self-explanatory and interesting to read.
They lay a solid foundation for students aspiring to continue to university to study science, medicine, biochemistry, pharmacy, agriculture, laboratory technology and engineering, among other programmes.
The textbooks have been written with precision and are based on experience in teaching and examining senior high schools, Advanced Level and university Chemistry students.
According to the author, he had a “vision to contribute strongly to the expansion of learning frontiers in chemistry, not only in terms of research at the highest level but also to make beginner scientists understand basic chemistry in real depth and be able to link the knowledge to the real world applications”.
Dr Doku obtained his first degree in chemistry and masters in analytical chemistry from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) under the supervision of Professor B.A. Dadson and Professor V.P.Y. Gadzekpo. Between 1992 and 95, he was a lecturer and a chemical consultant at the University of Capa Coast.
He was a renowned 'A' level Chemistry tutor and examiner for twelve years. He was the main brain behind the high 'A' level Chemistry performance at St. Augustine's College, Cape Coast and other institutions in Ghana.
He obtained his Doctorate degree (PhD) in microchemistry, with Commonwealth scholarship, from the University of Hull (UK) in 2000, under the supervision of Professor S. J. Haswell.
After a one year post-doc in the UK, he worked as a director of microchemistry projects with Professor Dr Ir. A. van den Berg of microtechnology at the MESA Research Institute in the Netherlands from 2001 to 2004.
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