The Ministry of Education as part of its 2018-2030 strategic plan is committed to improving enrollment in the sciences at all levels of the country’s education system, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister for Education has said.
He said the need for more science graduates in the country could not be overemphasized owing to the growing number of companies and businesses in the sciences and technology value chain.
Dr Adutwum said on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday in response to a question from Ms Dakoa Newman, Member of Parliament (MP) for Okaikwei South Constituency, New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Ms Newman inquired about the strategies the Ministry had adopted to ensure that the 60:40 sciences-to-humanities ratio set for the universities in the country was achieved.
The Ministry has targeted achieving a 60:40 ratio enrolment into the sciences and humanities respectively at the tertiary level by 2023.
However, Dr Adutwum in his response told Parliament that in as much as the target would be a daunting task, the ratio of science to humanity had since improved from 34:66 in 2017 to 2018, and 39:61 as of last year.
“Mr Speaker, to ensure the achievement of this target, the Ministry has rolled out various programmes aimed at broadening the base for science education in the country,” he said.
Dr Adutwum, also an NPP MP for the Bosomtwe Constituency, mentioned the construction of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Schools, resourcing of the existing science schools, the introduction of the STEMNNOVATION programme, the introduction of pre-engineering courses and the provision of scholarships as well as other financial aides to STEM students as some of the programmes to robust and facilitate the achievement of the 60:40 ratio by 2030.
“In addition to the above, Mr Speaker, the ministry envisions establishing at least five STEM universities to expand access at the tertiary level,” Dr Adutwum told Parliament.