A civil society group committed to the tenets of the United Nation, Ghana United Nations Association (GUNA), is proposing the scrapping of the National Science and Maths quiz.<\/p>\n
According to GUNA, the quiz could be replaced with what they refer to as “Innovative Science”, to encourage students to develop solutions to teething national problems.<\/p>\n
\u201cGUNA proposes a new and more result oriented program to replace the National Science and Maths quiz program for 2nd<\/sup> cycle institutions that has been in existence for over a decade. The new Innovative Science (InoScience) Challenge, will aim at tasking the students to develop solutions to teething national problems such as waste management, flooding, child delinquencies et al,\u201d the group said in a statement.<\/p>\n [contextly_sidebar id=”Ws4bIKCw7Ki1htPx1SmpMD6l4SKgcAdj”]The Association in the statement signed by its Director of Administration Rev. Kingsley Osafo-Mireku, said \u201cWe strongly believe that this new program if adopted and funded by government and corporate organizations will develop and unleash the scientific prowess of our students to be more useful to society and themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n The National Science and Math quiz is a private initiative held annually for second cycle institutions in Ghana.<\/p>\n GUNA made the call in connection with the World Science Day for Peace and Development which is commemorated every November 10.<\/p>\n The Association also called on government to invest heavily in research.<\/p>\n \u201cAny serious developing and developed nation has a technology fair one way or the other which showcase inventions and innovations developed by individuals and corporate bodies, with the aim of mainstreaming these new technologies in their development agenda. Once again, GUNA is calling on government together with corporate bodies to as a matter of urgency, set aside funds, to develop and commercialize the innovations exhibited at these fairs. This will ensure the creation of jobs, and the exportation of such technologies to other countries for foreign exchange,\u201d GUNA added.<\/p>\n Below is the full statement from GUNA:<\/strong><\/p>\n WORLD SCIENCE DAY FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT<\/strong><\/p>\n Today, the application of science and technology have become the denominator for fast pace development. Countries which have a strong base in science and technology are the ones that develop faster and a few examples are countries like Japan, Brazil, China, India and emerging economies like Bahrain and many more. Any economy that relegates science to the background will continue to wallow in poverty and underdevelopment irrespective of how intelligent its people are, comparatively.<\/p>\n It is therefore incumbent on us as a nation to take science and technology very serious if we ever dream to play along with the high and mighty economies of the world. It is on this note that GUNA wants to add her assertive voice and make some profound input in the way forward so far as science and technology is concerned on the following critical matters;<\/p>\n Science Research Funding <\/strong><\/p>\n Countries that have developed on the back of science have done so by developing internationally accepted scientific solutions to local challenges in all sectors especially, medicine, agriculture, education, etc. hence, GUNA calls on the government to prioritize funding of science research institutions in Ghana in order to develop scientific solutions to local problems. Without this, development will be a mirage.<\/p>\n InoScience Challenge<\/strong><\/p>\n GUNA proposes a new and more result oriented program to replace the National Science and Maths quiz program for 2nd<\/sup> cycle institutions that has been in existence for over a decade. The new Innovative Science (InoScience) Challenge will aim at tasking the students to develop solutions to teething national problems such as waste management, flooding, child delinquencies et al. we strongly believe that this new program if adopted and funded by government and corporate organizations will develop and unleash the scientific prowess of our students to be more useful to society and themselves.<\/p>\n Science and Technology Fairs<\/strong><\/p>\n Any serious developing and developed nation has a technology fair one way or the other which showcase inventions and innovations developed by individuals and corporate bodies, with the aim of mainstreaming these new technologies in their development agenda. Once again, GUNA is calling on government together with corporate bodies to as a matter of urgency, set aside funds, to develop and commercialize the innovations exhibited at these fairs. This will ensure the creation of jobs, and the exportation of such technologies to other countries for foreign exchange.<\/p>\n GUNA hopes that, this World Science Day for Peace and development will not be used as a \u2018talk shop\u2019 like many others, but these concrete steps will be taken by those in authorities in order to bring about development and prosperity to mother Ghana.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n GUNA, we stand for Peace, Security and Development<\/p>\n Signed<\/p>\n Rev. Kingsley Osafo-Mireku<\/p>\n (Director of Administration)<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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