The poor performance of students in science and mathematics has compelled the Ghana Education Service (GES) to collaborate with Ghana Science Association (GSA) and KNUST to organize a workshop for Senior High School teachers.

The workshop for selected teachers in the second cycle institutions in Kumasi is to provide strategic and innovative ways of teaching STEM subjects in the second cycle institutions.

It is organised by the Ghana Science Association, Kumasi branch in collaboration with the Colleges of Science, Engineering, Health Sciences and faculty of educational Studies, KNUST.

Provost of the College of Science, KNUST, Prof. Leonard Kofitse Amekudzi recounted: “I have been working for WAEC. I was an assistant examiner. During those times we realize there are certain topics the whole school is not able to solve and then you ask, does that mean that nobody in the school can do this?

“There are certain basic concepts that you expect students to understand yet you realize that the students really don’t have any idea about that concept."

Special education coordinator at the GES, Osei Yaw Akoto observes that many teachers lack the ability to teach in a modern way.

“It shouldn’t be a teacher standing before children lecturing but having practical knowledge so that the child would be in the position to be innovative,” he said.

The Ghana Science Association continues to be the largest multi-disciplinary association of scientists, technologists and mathematicians.

It provides the scientific community the opportunity to share the knowledge of science and to propel the energies for the socio-economic development in Ghana.

The workshop is under the theme: “Tailoring STEM education for national development”.

The purpose is to change the style and method of teaching.

The president of Ghana Science Association, Kumasi Chapter, Dr. Jacob Agbenorhevi, believes “the future of science and technology depends on the young ones coming from the secondary schools to the tertiary, university level and that needs to be trained or taught properly by the teachers.”

A teacher at Adu Gyamfi Senior High School, Adam Yussif urges adequate provision of facilities and materials will help improve performance of the students in science and math.

“Most of school don’t have the necessary facilities laboratory, equipment and materials for teaching so some concept are very difficult to explain to students,” he said.