The Principal of the Grace Hill School of Technology (GHIST) at Ankaful in the Central Region, Mrs Beatrice Anamuah-Mensah, has bemoaned the over emphasis on liberal arts, at the expense of vocational and technical subjects in the country’s educational system, saying “this is unfair to those pursuing practical programmes”.
“Students who study subjects with the vocational slant are looked down upon by school authorities and their peers, an attitude which de-motivates and de-moralises them as they may feel worthless in their own eyes,” she stressed.
Mrs. Anamuah-Mensah expressed these sentiments while addressing the school’s sixth opening day and graduation ceremony, on Saturday, on the theme; “Stimulating practical learning- A must for economic growth”.
A total of 15 students graduated, after pursuing a six-month programme in cookery art, pastry, sugar craft and floral design.
Mrs. Anamuah-Mensah noted that this attitude had negative impact even on the teachers themselves, seeing that their courses were generally undervalued.
She has therefore thrown a challenge to educational planners and Ghanaians in general to learn from the success of other nations and reform the educational system to empower the youth to pursue vocational and technical education, to their greatest heights.
“We cannot, as a country, continue to cast a blind eye on this situation,” she pointed out.
The nation, she said, needs to embrace practical learning and practice in all the training institutions.
The artificial separation of practical learning from theoretical learning, she said, had harmed the training of the country’s human resources; as such “we need to combine practical and theoretical learning if education should become holistic and functional.”
Mrs Anamuah-Mensah spoke of the school’s resolve to be an institution of excellence in the region.
The Chief Executive of Open Schooling, Joshua Mallet in his address, urged the graduating students to be dedicated and disciplined in any field of endeavour which may require their services, in future.
He explained that it was only through hard work, discipline and commitment that they could progress in their chosen careers.
Mr Mallet urged the school to consider the formation of an old students association which will create the opportunity for networking and exchanging of ideas and experiences, among its alumni.
“Students who study subjects with the vocational slant are looked down upon by school authorities and their peers, an attitude which de-motivates and de-moralises them as they may feel worthless in their own eyes,” she stressed.
Mrs. Anamuah-Mensah expressed these sentiments while addressing the school’s sixth opening day and graduation ceremony, on Saturday, on the theme; “Stimulating practical learning- A must for economic growth”.
A total of 15 students graduated, after pursuing a six-month programme in cookery art, pastry, sugar craft and floral design.
Mrs. Anamuah-Mensah noted that this attitude had negative impact even on the teachers themselves, seeing that their courses were generally undervalued.
She has therefore thrown a challenge to educational planners and Ghanaians in general to learn from the success of other nations and reform the educational system to empower the youth to pursue vocational and technical education, to their greatest heights.
“We cannot, as a country, continue to cast a blind eye on this situation,” she pointed out.
The nation, she said, needs to embrace practical learning and practice in all the training institutions.
The artificial separation of practical learning from theoretical learning, she said, had harmed the training of the country’s human resources; as such “we need to combine practical and theoretical learning if education should become holistic and functional.”
Mrs Anamuah-Mensah spoke of the school’s resolve to be an institution of excellence in the region.
The Chief Executive of Open Schooling, Joshua Mallet in his address, urged the graduating students to be dedicated and disciplined in any field of endeavour which may require their services, in future.
He explained that it was only through hard work, discipline and commitment that they could progress in their chosen careers.
Mr Mallet urged the school to consider the formation of an old students association which will create the opportunity for networking and exchanging of ideas and experiences, among its alumni.
