Change science teaching methods-Koram

04-14-08
Page 21

THE Head of the Department of Epidemiology at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Prof Kodwo Koram, has called for a drastic change in the teaching of science in educational institutions in the country.
He said there should be an opportunity to enable students to explore more, while there should be enough practical lessons.
He noted that the exposure of students to real science at the formative level of the educational system was virtually non-existent, adding, “We must be serious at providing functional practical laboratories where students can undertake practical lessons.”
Prof Koram made the call when he presented a paper on, “Making Science Education a Top Priority in Ghana: Benefits and Challenges”, at the 70th anniversary lecture of the Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (PRESEC) in Accra.
He said there should be innovative ways in the teaching of the sciences to bring out the joy of discovery in students pursuing the subjects, saying that a science culture should be created in the country to assist it in its growth and development.
He indicated that the world was changing fast and that things learnt today might change in the future, hence the need for the educational system to inculcate in students the art of life-long learning.
Prof Koram said the country should have people who would come out with scientifically sound solutions to the common problems facing it to enable it to meet the needs of the people.
Skilled manpower, he said, was needed to produce high-value goods for the citizenry and called on policy makers to provide the right environment for the provision of this skilled manpower.
He said PRESEC should reflect and build on the gains it had made in the past 70 years and charged the current crop of students to make proper use of their time in the school.
The Chairman for the function, Prof Rudolf Darko, said the country needed to invest more in science education “if we are to move forward”.