Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education, has charged the newly-constituted Governing Board of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to focus on its mandate and improve the country’s science and innovation field.
“The University was set up for a reason and I urge you to stick to your mandate by providing effective Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses to transform the country’s developmental agenda,” he said.
The Minister gave the advice on Friday during the inauguration of a 13-member Governing Board of the University in Accra and administered the oaths of Office and Secrecy to the members with the mandate to manage the affairs of the University.
Dr Adutwum said the nation was depending on the University to develop students with the required skills in STEM for national growth and asked the Board to champion that agenda.
He asked the Board to take a second look at the admission process and restructure a system to admit students who were desirous to pursue engineering courses though they may not have performed very well in elective Mathematics.
“As a University built on Science and Technology, you have a unique task to intensify research as COVID-19 has taught us all the impact scientific research has on the advancement of society.”
“Your role as members of the KNUST Governing Board gives you the opportunity to nurture and instil the importance of scientific research in your students,” he said.
The Minister said it was not a surprise that a team of innovators in the University led by Stephen Boakye Frimpong developed a gadget called a “Smart Fire Alert” which has been tested by the Ghana Standards Authority.
The Smart Alert sends a text message and calls a number it has been pre-programmed to contact whenever there is a fire outbreak.
He urged the Board to develop their plans to align with global industry demands and offer courses that would equip students for the job market.
Dr Adutwum encouraged them to pay unannounced visits to students during lecture periods and interact with them and know their challenges and success stories.
Nana Effah Appenteng, Chairman of the Board, thanked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the confidence reposed in them to steer the affairs of the University.
“We consider the appointment as a call to duty and public service to the country and pledged to work in harmony to the development of the country’s educational curriculum.”
The Board is made up of representatives of the various stakeholders, namely; the University Teachers Association of Ghana, Alumni, Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, Government nominees, Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools, Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana, Tertiary Education Workers’ Union, and Students’ Representative Council.
GNA