Micro labs for all basic schools

Story: Hadiza Nuhhu-Billa Quansah      

Government is to introduce the first-ever micro laboratories in all first cycle schools across the country.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Education, Mr Paul Kofi Krampa,  who disclosed this to the Junior Graphic, said the micro lab project would begin on a pilot basis in 100 selected schools across the country by the end of the year.

He explained that the project was initiated by the government to promote the study of science at the basic level of education.

“Making science a key programme in our educational curriculum is one of the issues raised by the President, Professor J.E.A. Mills, during the State of the Nation address this year,” he added.

Mr Krampa said the micro lab would have simple and unbreakable kits which would be suitable for children in the lower and upper primary school levels.

He said although schoolchildren were introduced to science as a subject at the basic school level, the schools did not have  basic science kits to enable the children conduct their own experiments.

“This is the reason why schoolchildren are not interested in learning the sciences these days. However, as parents or teachers, it is our responsibility to encourage our children to get interested in the sciences at an early age,” he stressed.

According to him, most children believed that learning science was a mystery, “even though science is happening around us every day. We need to use these things to develop children’s interest and knowledge.”

Mr Krampa said the experiments would be based on specific age groupings and was hopeful that when such experiments were conducted at such early stages, they would boost the children’s confidence in the sciences.

He stated that schools which would be selected on the pilot programme would be monitored carefully to make them successful. 

Mr Krampa said the rest of the schools would be included after the pilot programme.