Initiative to produce science equipment for SHSs launched
An initiative to produce local science equipment for second cycle institutions in the country has been launched.
Under the project, the African-Caribbean Manufacturing Ltd (ACML) will produce durable and affordable equipment to meet the needs of science laboratories in the country and the West Africa sub-region.
At yesterday’s launch at the Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School (PRESEC-Legon), in Accra, some of the manufactured equipment put on display included optical flat pins, weight hangers without pointers, weights, battery boxes, spiral springs, pendulum bobs and knife edge screen mirrors.
The rest were potentiometers, lens holders, magnet, calorimeters and sonometer boards.
A lecturer at Salt University College, Prof. Spencer Duncan, who launched the initiative, expressed the hope that it would, among other objectives, boost job creation and economic development, adding that "we might even have a lot of export opportunities".
“We might be able to produce and send to neighbouring countries as well as other parts of Africa,” he added.
Prof. Duncan said it would also help the youth in skill development and expressed the hope for the sustainability of the project.
Objectives
The Board Chairman of ACML, Gilbert Akpabey, also said that the project was targeted at equipping students adequately in the field of science and related fields.
He said the foundation of any strong economy was manufacturing, "if we are not manufacturing, we are dead".
Mr Akpabey lamented the situation where students pursuing engineering in universities came out without knowing how machines operated.
He commended the management of Presec, Legon, for its acceptance of the project and readiness to collaborate with the company.
Mr Akpabey said an in-depth observation made by ACML in the various high schools revealed that most laboratories lacked the basic tools for teaching and learning of science.
Significance
The assistant Head in-charge of Administration at Presec, Legon, Betty Amoah, said the school was a science-biased institution, although it ran other programmes.
She said it had been a bit of a challenge acquiring some equipment for Physics over the years, "and so when the team approached management, we thought it was a good initiative worth supporting".
Ms Amoah said the school was proud of the achievements of Mr Akpabey, who is an old boy of the school which is now 87 years old.
She said the school’s excellence transcended Africa to the test of the world.
