Make science practical and relatable – Vice President to Educators

Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has urged educators to make science teaching more practical and relatable to help students understand and apply scientific concepts.

She said Ghana’s approach to science education should move beyond the teaching of theories and focus more on helping learners connect what they study to everyday life and national development.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang made the call during a meeting with the leadership of the Ghana Science Association, a multidisciplinary organisation involved in science education, research and the promotion of scientific knowledge.

The engagement also renewed a longstanding relationship between the Vice President and the Association dating back to her time at the Ministry of Education.

During the meeting, representatives of the Association outlined some of their ongoing activities, including scientific conferences, workshops, research publications and programmes for training science and mathematics teachers.

The delegation also expressed its readiness to support the government’s development agenda through research, scientific expertise and evidence-based contributions.

The Association briefed the Vice President on plans for an upcoming Blue Economy conference, which will examine how science and research can support the sustainable use of Ghana’s marine resources.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang commended the Association for its work and encouraged it to remain actively involved in discussions on education, research and national development.

“We need to demystify science and make its teaching practical and relatable,” Prof. Opoku-Agyemang stressed. “Science is not isolated from our everyday lives or from other disciplines, and we must avoid pushing young people into narrow specialisations too early. Our education system should help learners understand concepts and apply knowledge, rather than simply following trends.”

She said teachers needed to pay greater attention to how scientific ideas were communicated, particularly when dealing with concepts that students might find difficult.

The Vice President said the language used in classrooms and the methods adopted by teachers could determine how effectively learners understood technical subjects.

“Language and teaching methods are equally important,” she stated. “We must continually interrogate how science is taught and identify practical approaches that make difficult concepts easier for learners to grasp, while strengthening connections across different forms of education.”

She also encouraged the Ghana Science Association to work more closely with Colleges of Education to improve the preparation of science and mathematics teachers.

“I also encouraged the Association to deepen its engagement with our Colleges of Education, particularly in the training of science and mathematics teachers, and to assess their curricula and teaching methods,” she added. “Ultimately, our approach to science must be directly aligned with the problems our country needs to solve.”

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said science education should equip young people with knowledge and skills that could be applied to challenges facing the country.

She urged the Association to explore further partnerships with educational and research institutions to strengthen its contribution to Ghana’s development.

The Vice President assured the delegation that the concerns and proposals presented during the meeting had been noted.