Aburi Girls promotes science and maths among girls
Over the past decades, the Aburi Girls Senior High School has provided the foundation and the pillar for the training of a number of women, who have acquired various professions and are living their dreams as professionals in various fields.
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They include doctors, engineers, scientists, lawyers and designers. Dr Mabel Aboah, Class of 1978, who is the first female general surgeon in Ghana, is one of such women.
In a message, the National President of the Alumni of Aburi Old Girls’ (AOGA), Mrs Cynthia Asare-Bebiako, observed that: “Indeed, the old girls have done their part and left for you a name that you can be proud to be identified with. It is your turn to keep the good name and the flame on the hill burning.”
Encouragement
To encourage students of the school to realise their God-given potential and to help them free themselves from the myth associated with female students learning science and mathematics, the Class of 1990, with support from the 1965 year group, hosted the school’s 69th Speech and Prize-giving Day on the theme, ‘‘Empowering the next Generation of Female Leaders Through Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Education.”
Sponsorship
The event was used to honour both past and present students who had distinguished themselves in various fields while the sponsors handed over two mechanised boreholes to mark the golden jubilee anniversary of the 1965-year group.
Hardworking teaching and non-teaching staff of the school, including the current Headmistress, Ms Rose Bampoe were also rewarded.
Addressing the ceremony, the Executive Director of the Salt and Light Ministry, Rev. Dr Joyce R. Aryee, called for the institution of a policy to encourage female students to study science, mathematics and Technology courses in the secondary and tertiary institutions.
Such policy, she said, would help to project women who had excelled in mathematics and science to take up careers in science, technology and technical fields.
"Our girls and women need to build a career of substance to help themselves to compete in the fast pace world and face the challenges and competition in every aspect of life," she stated.
Rev. Dr Aryee stated that "science and maths present an opportunity clothed in challenges to lead our girls to greatness,” adding that, "Your family, community, country, continent and the world needs your discoveries in science, maths, technology and engineering to develop."
Change attitude
Rev. Dr Aryee said the challenge to learning science and mathematics by female students was not due to the lack of the ability of girls to perform, but the lack of confidence due to societal challenges.
She mentioned discrimination, suppressed motivation, inherent gender bias and discouragement at a young age as some of the nagging hindrances facing females in the study of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM).
The former Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of Mines stated that it was time girls imbibed the ‘Yes I Can attitude’ and "there will be nothing we cannot achieve on earth, if we set our minds to it."
Academics
The Headmistress, Ms Bampoe said the school presented 566 candidates for the 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), out of which 564 passed in six or more subjects.
She said only two students passed in fewer than six subjects, stressing that, "our students performed well, although we expected many of them to have done a lot better than they did."
Needs of school
She said the school faced a lot of challenges and appealed to the authorities and old students to refurbish the biology and chemistry laboratories, provide computers, construct a workshop for practical work for the Visual Arts Department and donate books for the library and equipment for the sick bay.
For her part, the President of the Aburi Girls 1990 Year Group, Ms Akosua O. Opoku, said the group was committed to inspiring every girl to reach her potential by creating a diverse community of learners encouraged to be passionate, thoughtful and respectful agents of change.