'DON'T BE DESPAIR; THERE ARE JOB OPPORTUNITIES'-DPTY EDUC MIN ASSURES STUDENTS

The Government has assured second cycle school students to position themselves to take advantage of the numerous employment opportunities being created for graduates. 

To benefit from such opportunities however, students must not only pursue tertiary education, but remain focused, committed and determined in the preferred programmes of study while adding more value to themselves to be competitive on the job market. 

The Deputy Minister of Education in charge of General Education, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum, gave the advice in Kumasi at the opening of this year’s Week-long celebration of the Ashanti Region Students Representative Council.

Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum, said government is creating job opportunities such as the Nation Builders Corps to provide a relief to school graduates, students must also add value to their academic credentials to enhance their employability after school.

Formed 22 years ago, the Ashanti Region Students Representatives Council, SRC, is a welfare and mouth piece for all second cycle students in the Ashanti region as well as issues that directly affect formal education.

 Within the 22 years it has been in existence, the SRC, which composition is representation from all recognized public and private second cycle schools in the region, has served also as a leadership training and character molding platform for the students.

 In recent times, the Council has helped to reduce to the barest minimum, the incidences of students’ rowdyism through dialogue with school authorities anytime there is a problem. For instance, in the last three years, students violent agitations have reduced from three to one this academic year.

The Council has also been organizing school and co-curricular activities such as region-based Quiz and Debate as well as sporting activities to keep the bond among them. 

This year’s SRC Week celebration which coincides with the 22^nd anniversary of the founding of the Council, is on the theme: “Tertiary Education and Job Opportunities in Ghana; Inspiration or Despair for SHS Students”. 

The Council presented plagues to Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum and Dr. Addai Mensah of the KNUST for their continuous support for the SRC.

 The President of the Council, Maxwell Angelo Boakye, described the introduction of the free senior high education policy by the government as one of the most laudable pro-poor interventions in Ghana that needs the support of all.

 The SRC President however expressed skepticism about sustainability of the policy and therefore challenged government to come out with its funding programme for the programme.

The Ashanti Regional Director of Education, Mrs. Mary Owusu-Achiaw, asked all heads of second cycle schools in the region to recognize and respect their SRCs and create regular for the administration to interact with the students so as to learn of their concerns for prompt action to curtail disturbances on the campuses. 

The Vice Dean of Students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Dr. Dr. Addae Mensah, noted, for Ghana to permanently address the canker of graduate unemployment, there must be a conscious effort to address the disconnect between industry and academia as well as creating the opportunity to cultivate a literate citizenry.