Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Animah Wilson has said the heavy investment government has made in the promoting of science education in the country is in recognition of the role of science play in the nation’s development. She said the strategies like the organization of the annual science technology and mathematics education and other initiatives such as the capitation grant, school feeding programme are all geared towards the mental development of students. Ms. Animah Wilson was speaking at the first ever kids and parents fanfare in Kumasi. About four thousand students attended the fanfare organized by the KUC-MAS Limited; a private firm to encourage students to use their brain to solve arithmetic problems in schools. The Abacus Programme is already running in some schools in the Ashanti region. According to Ms Wilson, government will continue to introduce and implement programmes that will attract more students into the study of science and mathematics. She appealed to parents and educational officers to support government interventions to promote the study and learning of sciences for the betterment of the country. “Government recognizes the role of science in the development of the nation and has gone to invest heavily in science education”, she said. While commending KUC-MAS Ltd for the introduction of the programme to promote the study of mathematics, the Deputy Minister charged all educational officers in the region to support the initiative. “Education however is a shared responsibility and therefore the initiative of KUC-MAS to create awareness about the principles about mental arithmetic problem is highly commendable”. Regional Coordinator of the Abacus programme, Erasmus Cudjoe is hoping to see more schools signed up for the Abacus programme. He called on parents to embrace the Abacus concept to sharpen the minds of their wards. Story by Ohemeng Tawiah, Nhyira Fm-Kumasi