Polytechnics blamed for low agric patronage

A science teacher on Friday accused polytechnics of bias in the promotion of agriculture in their curriculum.

Mr Thomas K. Tandoh, Western Regional Chairman of the Agricultural Science Teachers Association of Ghana (ASTAG), said this at the opening of the 2006 regional conference and workshop of the association at Sekondi.

He said apart from agricultural engineering, many others areas of agriculture were ignored.

Mr Tandoh said agric-business, which includes snail farming, bee-keeping, aqua culture, and mushroom cultivation could have been major sources of income generation and employment if the youth were motivated to pursue such vocations after their studies.

Mr Tandoh said the lukewarm attitude of Ghanaians towards agriculture was having a serious effect on the economy.

He cautioned that the continual importation of vegetables, cereals and others could have serious negative effects on agriculture in the country.

Mrs Kafui A. Fiapornoo, the Regional Director of Education, said to enable teachers teach effectively, the syllabuses for junior and senior secondary schools have been revised to include more practical and employment oriented students.

She said the country's economy could improve if modern agricultural methods were adopted.

Mrs Fiakpornoo said currently all JSS mathematics and science teachers in the region were undergoing re-training while teachers handling science related subjects would also benefit from a similar re-training programme.
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