The Past Students Association of Kumasi Academy has handed over an ultra-modern Science Laboratory block for their Alma Mater to enhance the study of science in the school.
It also has a Science Library to be stocked with books in the various disciplines, including those for the National Maths and Science Quiz (NMSQ).
Computers would be provided and connected to the internet to enable students and teachers to carry out research.
Okunini Dr. Kwabena Dapaah-Siakwan, National President of the Association, at the ceremony over the weekend, explained that the Science Laboratory, christened Akunini Science Laboratory, was a gift and legacy from the past students of the school, who were affectionately called Akunini (Academicians).
He noted that Robotics was an interdisciplinary of computer science and engineering, which was currently in vogue in just a few Senior High Schools in Ghana, hence, the Association felt the need to introduce the new technology to the students.
Accordingly, the Association had imported all the gadgets and the needed software to start robotics in the school, which would be housed within the Physics Laboratory at the new Science Laboratory block.
He stated that the edifice was not constructed by their Alma Mater for fun, or just to make noise that they had the biggest Science Laboratory, but was done because there was the need for it, as it contributes to the infrastructural development of the school, and acted as a catalyst for the effective teaching and learning of science.
Referring to the saying, “To whom much is given, much is expected,” Dr. Dapaah-Siakwan stressed that the past students expected to see a massive improvement in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results of the students in the sciences especially, and improved performance in the NMSQ, because they had provided everything to them.
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education, commended the past students for initiating the project, which he described as a world class Science Laboratory.
He emphasised the importance of investment in education, particularly the sciences, to expand in technology which explained the proposed establishment of seven technical colleges within one and a half years, with two of which were to be sited in the Ashanti Region.
The Minister also gave the assurance that his Ministry would support the Kumasi Academy to become one of the best Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) schools, because of the efforts the school was putting in place, in terms of the infrastructure, evidenced in the availability of the ultra-modern Science Laboratory.
Mr. Simon Osei Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, commended the past students for initiating and generously funding the million-dollar project to boost the agenda of prioritising Science Technical Empowerment and Mathematics and Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET).
He disclosed that the government was expanding and retooling science research centers of some existing Senior High Schools to improve science enrollment and the quality of instructions, and expressed the hope that the Science Laboratory would play a strategic role to support the government’s vision of raising our science humanities ratio from existing 40:60 to 60:40.
