An Associate Professor of Animal Science with the School of Agriculture, University of Cape Coast, Prof. Frederick N. A. Odoi, has made a case for the reintroduction of Agricultural Science into Ghana’s basic school.

Education policy makers, he added, could make Agricultural Science a liberal subject for students as an essential means of securing an efficient food production system for the country. He noted that agriculture education programs not only teach students to be farmers, but also train tomorrow's scientists, nutritionists, teachers and more. A combination of classroom instruction and applied agriculture experiences outside of the classroom build the foundation for educated consumers and agriculturists.

Prof Odoi made the suggestion at a symposium as part of outlined activities leading to the climax of the 60th anniversary of University of Cape Coast.

Organized by the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences (CANS), the symposium was on theme: “Quality Higher Education: Expanding Our Frontiers. The Role of CANS.”

He disagreed with people pressuring young graduates to venture into agriculture without providing them with the requisite support.

“Don’t shout at graduates to go and farm. How can a young graduate without land and money venture into farming? …the bank will not even look at him” he wondered.

He appealed to teachers not to make students perceive agriculture as a way of punishment in schools.

Prof. Odoi also recounted the formative stages of the Department of Agriculture to the status of a School currently. He mentioned the Sasakawa Foundation, Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) and community engagements as some of the programmes that helped the forward match of the School.

Another contributor at the symposium who spoke on the School of Biological Sciences, Prof. John Blay took students through the various courses the School offers and the job prospects.

He asked students to strive to overcome inferiority complex in the pursuit of their educational goals. He encouraged them to build the needed confidence and develop a positive mindset in their academic activities.

Prof. V. Y. P. Gadzekpo, who also spoke on the journey of the School of Physical Sciences, advised senior high school students, especially females, to embrace physics at the university level.

He said they should not entertain fears in pursuing Physics courses at the university given how some women scientists had proven their worth in that field.

He noted Physics had many prospects for female students and encouraged them to venture into the field to develop their inherent potentials.

The symposium was preluded by an exhibition by various departments under the College and a Farmers’ Market.

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC