To expand the reach and deepen the roots of science and engineering in the country among current youth, as government seeks to champion Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, the management of Academic City University College (ACity) has called on the government to abolish a policy that prevents students without Elective Mathematics (E-Maths) background from studying engineering at the tertiary level.
The President and Provost of the University College, Prof Fred McBagonluri, indicated that the requirement of an E-Maths background from the Senior High School level as a compulsory fundamental requirement among other subjects to study engineering and other science-related courses at the university is not appropriate, and should be abolished.
He argued that the Core Mathematics being studied at the SHS level is enough to enable any student to study engineering because the engineering programme curriculum itself has its mathematical language that students must learn to understand irrespective of their E-Maths background.
The renowned professor and inventor indicated that he had the opportunity to study engineering at a university in the United States without an E-Maths background and today, the country Ghana is benefitting from that; therefore, holding on to that obsolete policy only denies the country of brilliant engineers who would change the country for the better.
He stressed that the situation has been a major challenge to enrolment into the programme at the university; therefore, government, through its education sector policy-makers, must act swiftly to address the situation.
“The Government must abolish compulsory E-Maths as a requirement for engineering at the university level. Our educational system in this country gets children to choose a programme of study at the age of 13 or 14 in SHS one, then we cage them in that area with policies that do not allow them to cross paths in life when they discover their true capabilities later on and want to switch. This must change,” he said.
He made these remarks at the sideline of the inauguration of the Academic City University College at Agbogba, a suburb of Accra.
Prof. McBagonluri, in his welcome remarks also stated that ACity is creating an enabling environment for critical thinking, creativity and innovation, adding that it is raising a dynamic workforce that would solve complex societal challenges, and positively impact the socio-economic enhancement of the nation.
On his part, the Founder of ACity, Dev Varyani, mentioned that it is important not to confuse education with book knowledge; hence, the vision of the university is to create the enabling environment for education and innovation, not book learning.
“We believe the actual meaning of Education is Action. So, we put action to our words and deeds and built this campus to achieve our vision. We didn’t want to confuse education with book learning.
“The role of the teacher is to create the conditions for invention rather than provide ready-made knowledge. Education should be a rewarding experience which allows you to think, imagine, question, doubt and solve problems in any possible way,” he said.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia called on ACity to explore avenues of rolling out a digital manufacturing programme to create a digital economy as the world is moving.
According to him, a digital manufacturing programme which would enable the production of digital automobile parts in 3D printing would enable auto mechanics at the Suame Magazine and other artisans in other parts of the country to use it in their operations to create an auto hub in the sub-region with world-class production services.
Also present were the Deputy Education Minister, Rev Ntim Fordjour; Global Peace Ambassador, Gurudev Sri Sri Shankar; and Municipal Chief Executive of Ga East, Elizabeth Kaakie Mann.
