This training program, which will commence this year, will involve both basic and senior high school science teachers with practical skills set to help improve the performance of students in science in the district.

The Ghana Science Association, as part of the collaboration, also donated 150 science books to the directorate and is expected to mentor students in the district to increase their participation and involvement in science-related programmes.

Briefing a section of science teachers and management of the Atewa West Education Directorate during a brief presentation, the President of the Koforidua Branch President of the GhanaScience Association, Steven Yaw Opoku, pledged his team’s commitment to improving science performance in the district.

President of Ghana Science Association Koforidua Branch

“We have a lot of young women scientists at our disposal so with programs on the girl child, you can inform us early, and we will make them available to deliver education, training, and mentor these young girls. So they know the prospects that are there for them as girls in science. As a science association, our purpose is to promote science and technology, and our focus in the Koforidua Branch is to concentrate on the rural areas where we know they will be lacking interns. We are going to help the schools acquire some teaching and learning materials to help improve the desire for science-related programmes.”

“The promotion of STEM is a collective effort, and the fact is that all of us should come together to promote it. The government is pushing digitalization, which is part of science and technology, so we are encouraging sister organizations to come on board by supporting us to go to the side of these deprived schools,” he urged.

On his part, the District Director of Education Atewa West, John Kwasi Osafo, who welcomed the partnership believes it will go a long way to improve the performance of students in science.

“We are very happy that you are extending your tentacles to Atewa West, and being the director of education, I want to tell you we are excited about this collaboration and whatever we need to do to support this worthy initiative we will do it. So our learners will also benefit. My interest is particularly in the training of the science teachers and Mathematics and also in science quizzes and competitions because when our teachers are trained, and we go for the competitions, we will see the impact of the training on the performance of students. I will be very happy if that is put in your plans for this year.”

He added, “Our performance in the BECE over the years has not been pleasant, but it’s been improving year in and year out. I know this collaboration will further improve it significantly. I want students from my district to go to St. Peter’s Senior High School in Nkwatia and Presec to pursue science-related programs, and this will make us all happy.”