THE FUTURE OF THE YOUTH IN SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY IN GHANA
Jophus Anamuah-Mensah
I must thank the organizers for inviting me to be a discussant for this brilliant exposition.
I deem it a great honour.
The presentation has been very comprehensive and enlightening as it examined the past,
the present and the future of the youth in science and technology and underscored the
support for science and technology development in the first Republic. In examining the
present situation, the author looked at the low level of support for the management of
S&T, the perception and performance of the youth in S&T. She also examined the
organizing structures for developing the youth in S&T such as the training institutions –
SSS, polytechnics, universities – resources for S&T – science resource centres, S&T
museum, teachers. The paper also looked at strategies for engaging the youth in S&Tpartnership between universities, polytechnics, and industry, involvement of the youth in
IKS and agriculture, introduction of ICT, and use of Ghanaian scientists in the diaspora.
While I agree with most of the issues raised, I will like to re-echo some of the salient
points in the presentation, point to some of the issues emanating from lack of national
commitment to science and technology and comment on the future of science and
technology for the youth in Ghana.
Ghana’s participation in the global knowledge system depends on the development of a
strong science and technology base. Science and technology knowledge is currently the
currency for economic and social transformation of nations. to be future scientists and
technologists, the country can raise itself out of its present situation where science and
technology knowledge is not part of the everyday thinking and practice of most of
people. This would be more than the 2.6% of students currently enrolled in tertiary
education (Addae-Mensah, 2000).
Initiatives such as Lagos Plan of action, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development
(NEPAD) and its recently constituted appendage, African Forum on Science and
Technology for Development (AFSTD) requires serious commitment to and investment
in S&T; that is, investment in capacity building in research and institutional development
for generating and harnessing knowledge for the effective implementation of these
initiatives. The youth constitute a major player in this since they are the ones to carry the
burden of reconstructing the society in order to ensure its survival. The 2000 census
indicates that Ghana has a very young population with about 44% of the population
below 14 years, about 60% of the population under 25 years of age and with only about
5% over 65 years of age. The young are found in the kindergartens, basic and senior
secondary schools, universities, polytechnics, private tertiary institutions and research
institutions. Our failure to turn this youthful population through science and technology
into skilled human capital has already begun to create serious social problems such as
increasing unemployment in the country. If nothing is done for this group, a bleak future
will befall our nation. But if only 10% of the youth aged 25 years and below (about
1,200,000) are trained.
The future role of the youth in science and technology can be said to be three-fold.
 First, the youth need to receive the accomplishments of science and technologythat is, the theories, explanations, enquiry skills and accumulations of evidence –
from the previous generation (Jegede & Solomon, 2000). The youth in this role,
according to Sir Isaac Newton are ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’. They
become the scientists who create, add on to and use the accumulated body of
knowledge; they carry out research at the cutting edge of knowledge. Not all the
youth can be located here; for rapid development of the country, up to 10% may
be expected to play this role.

The second is for the youth to be equipped with relevant science and technology
skills and entrepreneurship to enable them enter the world of work. The
President’s Committee on the Review of Education Reform indicated that “about
30% of the labour force engaged in production have never been to school. Only
about 1.6% of the total educated workforce posses some qualification in technical
and vocational education and only 5% have received training at secondary or
higher level” (GOG, 2003). In my estimation, 30-40% of the youth will be needed
to play this role if the country is to embrace science and technology as the two
pillars of growth.

The third is the role of ‘societal reconstruction’ which enables the individual to
deal with “ social decisions relating to issues concerned with technology and
science” (Jegede & Solomon, 2000). In this age of information, it is the
expectation that every citizen should be scientifically literate to enable him/her
make informed choices and contributions on matters related to science and
technology in order to participate in decisions affecting their lives as well as
contribute to solving problems affecting society. Most of the issues faced by the
youth relate to the impact of new technologies on the environment and the
activities of the youth. Such people should have basic working knowledge of
science and technology to enable them make intelligent and informed decisions
on issues related to science and technology and to provide strong support for the
activities of science – research and development. It is expected that 50-60% of the
youthful population who may become politicians, media practitioners, lawyers or
accountants should have this societal reconstructionist orientation. This should
enable all citizens to exercise their democratic right by participating in decisions
concerning the future development of this country. It is estimated that less than
15% of Ghanaians of ages 15years and above are scientifically literate
(Government of Ghana, 2003).
I fully agree with the author that the promotion of science and technology in Ghana
received its greatest support from the highest level of the country’s administration during
the Nkrumah era. If we want to capture the commanding heights of science and
technology, then we definitely need to go back to utilize the strategies that worked well in
our favour during those years. We need to embrace the spirit of ‘sankofa’ especially
when it seemed to have helped in resolving some of the pressing issues at the time. The
president, Dr. Nkrumah was in charge of the drive to use science and technology for
development just as Malaysia has done, infrastructural development and provision of
equipment were assured, and those who pursued science studies in the universities
received extra support while science teachers were given differential salaries.
Characteristics of the Ghanaian Youth
The young people in the country are faced with unfulfilled aspirations. They see the
plight of those who have dared to embrace the scientific fraternity. They know the fields
of science where majority of those who have gone before them have found satisfactionengineering, medicine and computing. But these young people have enormous potential
bottled up in them and it is only when substantial resources are applied that this potential
can be released.
 The youth in a science and technology propelled society will be required to be
creative, communicate well, think critically, work cooperatively, find solutions to
problems they encounter, maintain their motivation in the face of difficulties and
connect with people and ideas
If there is any future left for our youth, this future should be found in increased resource
allocation to research and development in science and technology.
 The current financial allocation to science and technology which hovers between
0.3-0.5% of GDP is grossly inadequate. In some countries, the allocation to
research and development alone far supersede this. South Africa spends 0.76% of
GDP while Israel, USA and the countries of the European Union allocate 4.8%,
2.8% and 1.9% (on the average) of GDP respectively on research and
development (ACU, 2004).
Perception of youth on S&T
The result of the questionnaire on the perception of youth on science and technology is
very revealing. The reference to the inadequate resources for science and technology
education at the senior secondary school, polytechnics and universities by the students
warrants serious attention by the Ministry of Education. For example, the laboratories
should be adequately equipped with basic instruments and materials and should be
manned by competent technicians. If this is not done, the positive perception students at
all levels have for science as reported by Dr. Entsua-Mensah would be lost.
In the choice of professions, there were cases of dysfunctional choices by some university
students especially those from UEW, KNUST and UCC. For example, students who had
enrolled in certain career-directed study fields such as science teaching at UEW selected
pharmacy as their future career. Such students seemed to have unwillingly accepted
enroll in programmes that were not their first or second choice. This may have something
to do with the selection of SSS students into programmes at the universities. Enrolment in
courses of study at the universities should be re-examined as it does not seem to cater for
the needs/career choices of the youth. Facilities need to be expanded and more
programmes introduced to cater for the different interests of the students.
The study reported in the paper revealed that students pursuing science studies in the
universities and research institutes had a low image of research scientists in the society.
To reverse this trend, the following initiatives will have to be taken:
 Research scientists will have to showcase their innovative works through
publication in the popular media as well as talks to students in the schools and
universities.
 The government can also play a critical role by ensuring that tools and other
materials needed for research are made available.
 A Best Researcher Award scheme should be instituted in each institution and in
the nation as a whole.
Mr. Chairman, any science education programme that fails 40% or more of its students
needs to be re-examined; for no country can develop its science and technology
effectively if over 40% fail to understand basic concepts in the subject. For example, the
result of the SSSCE indicates that in 2002, over 40% failed core mathematics, elective
mathematics and physics. The situation becomes even more alarming when those with
grade E’s are added to the failures since most universities do not accept grade E. We
cannot build a strong science and technology base with grade Es.
Science subjects Years
2000
C- Maths
41
Biology
49
Chemistry
51
Physics
41
E-Maths
40
2001
51
42
39
43
55
2002
50
27
34
50
40
60
50
40
2000
30
2001
20
2002
10
0
Cmath
Chem
Emath
Figure 1: Failure rate in science in SSSCE
subject
Years
2000 2001 2002
cmaths 63
71
73
Biology 80
72
61
Chem
75
66
62
Physics 73
75
79
Emaths 63
79
64
Figure 2: Students with Grades F and F+E in SSSCE in 2002
80
70
60
50
Grade F
40
30
Grade F+E
20
10
0
Cmath
Chem
Emath
Over 60% failed to get a Grade D in all the pure science subjects. The case of
mathematics is very serious as mathematics forms an integral part of all sciences. In the
universities, mathematics lecturers have become endangered species and this in turn is
manifested in the small number of mathematics teachers in both the basic and senior
secondary schools. The International Science Programme of the University of Uppsala,
Sweden estimates the density of PhD holders in mathematics to be about one per one
million inhabitants (Prof. Alllotey, personal communication).
Initiatives such as that being pursued by the Institute of Mathematical Sciences involving
the use of seasoned professors in both local foreign universities is contributing to the
training of a number of Masters and PhD students in various areas of mathematics. In
addition, the summer camps on the teaching of science and mathematics for secondary
school teachers is serving as a motivation for teachers since this is the only opportunity
available to science and mathematics teachers to keep abreast with pedagogical content
issues in their fields. Support for such initiatives can help in preparing the youth to meet
challenges of the future.
One of the major undesirable fallout of the education system is the production of
thousands of school leavers at the JSS and SSS levels who have no employable skills and
yet have to fend for themselves. While the suggestion that technical and vocational
institutions be set up to cater for them is laudable, other measures can be taken to give
them appropriate skills. This includes the setting up of
 Apprentice training Scheme to be overseen by a National Apprentice Training
Board as recommended by the President’s Committee on Review of Education
Reform in Ghana. The Board will supervise the curricula, registration, duration
and certification.
 Open Community colleges through private participation but with government
support. These colleges will provide opportunities for further studies and or skill
training for the youth.
Mentoring the Youth
This is critical to the development of a career path in science for the youth. Mentors
excite interest in junior colleagues. This experience is however rare in the universities. In
the university, newly recruited scientists struggle to keep afloat with little or no support.
A formal mentoring system should be established in all institutions to ensure that young
scientists recruited into the universities or research institutions are attached to professors
and senior scientists in their fields of study to receive advice and support. The mentoring
can take the form of joint research, publications and presentations at conferences and
seminars.
The youth of this country are not receiving adequate encouragement to pursue careers in
science and technology due to a number of factors including inadequate budgetary
allocation to science and technology and lack of information on future career prospects.
This has resulted in the following:
 Inadequate allocation of funds to the pursuit of science and technology education
at all levels of education;
 The country has a weak science and technology base with science and technology
infrastructure almost non-existent;
 Poor laboratory and workshop facilities for science teaching at all levels;
 Lack of career guidance in the schools; students are only familiar with a few
professions in science and technology, e.g. medicine, engineering;
 Inadequate numbers of science, mathematics and technical and vocational
teachers; university enrolment in these disciplines has been as low as 60:40
humanities/science over the years;
 Teaching methods do not encourage critical thinking and problem solving;
science is therefore learnt as an unexciting collection of facts;
 Participation of females in science and technology is low;

Poor infrastructure for research in science and technology at the universities and
research institutions;
 Lack of well motivated and adequate personnel for performing cutting edge
research who can mentor the young scientist; postgraduate research is therefore
very low and unattractive;
 Most industries in Ghana, including the small and medium sized enterprises
(SMEs) are not involved in technological innovation which has the potential of
attracting the youth. They, therefore, stand a great risk of marginalisation as a
result of lack of scientific personnel who can bring about improvement in the
industry.
 Multi –national companies carry out their research and development activities
outside the country and therefore do not provide opportunities for developing
indigenous capacity.
 About 30% of the labour force, engaged in production have never been to school.
Only about 1.6% of the total educated workforce posses some qualification in
technical and vocational education and only 5% have received training at
secondary or higher level.
It is clear that unless appropriate action is taken Ghana runs the risk of not being able to
provide emerging industries with the required human capital.