The Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS), Dr Margaret Wekem Kukeba, says inadequate resources in some senior high schools in the Upper East Region are affecting the quality of students entering science-related programmes at the universities.
She says some schools lack the science teachers, laboratory facilities and practical learning opportunities needed to adequately prepare students for university-level science education.
Speaking on A1 Radio monitored by Bolgafm, Dr Kukeba said the challenge is particularly concerning as UTAS continues to strengthen its science, technology and health-related programmes.
She was speaking during a discussion on “The Future of Science and Technology Education in the Upper East Region: The Role of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences.”
Dr Kukeba said some students arrive at the university without sufficient practical knowledge in basic science, creating the need for additional support before they can effectively take on their programmes.
She disclosed that UTAS has recently had to tighten admission requirements for some programmes, particularly in the health sciences, following directives from regulators.
“We’ve recently been told that we cannot just admit based on the normative criteria, which is C6 and below. We’ve had to cut down our criteria to a particular grade based on the regulators’ demands.”
But she said the higher entry requirements could have unintended consequences for the region if secondary schools are unable to produce enough students who meet the standards.
“What may happen to our region is that we may have the university, but our own people may not be able to attend it because of that.”
Dr Kukeba, who attended Bolgatanga Girls Senior High School, said the issue is particularly important to her because she has seen some of the challenges facing science education in schools across the region.
She identified shortages of teachers in subjects including Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology and Computer Science as some of the challenges that need urgent attention.
She proposed greater collaboration among schools to share scarce science teachers and expertise.
According to her, a school with a Physics teacher, for instance, could support another school that lacks a teacher in the subject, while schools with expertise in other science disciplines could similarly support one another.
She also said UTAS is considering a more deliberate outreach programme through its various academic departments to support secondary schools and strengthen the pipeline of students entering science and technology programmes.
Dr Kukeba explained that the university currently runs abridging and access programmes to help some students bridge gaps in their science knowledge before they can fully undertake their university programmes.
She said this approach, however, puts additional pressure on lecturers who have to combine remedial teaching with their regular academic responsibilities.
“When they come, we will not be struggling to have to go back to the basic.”
She believes strengthening science education at the secondary-school level would reduce the need for extensive remedial support at the university and create a stronger pool of students capable of pursuing science, technology and health-related disciplines.
The discussion forms part of UTAS’ efforts to highlight the role of science and technology education in the development of the Upper East Region, as the university marks six years of teaching, learning, research and community service.
UTAS says it has won the National ENACTUS Competition four consecutive times from 2021 to 2024, competing against institutions including the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University for Development Studies.
The university subsequently represented Ghana on the global stage, with Team UTAS reaching the round of 16 in competitions held in the Netherlands and Kazakhstan.
UTAS was also ranked 10th in Ghana in 2025 based on its H-Index in the AD Scientific Index global ranking of higher education institutions.
The university says it maintained the position in 2026 before moving up to 8th in the 2027 ranking.
Dr Kukeba says the next step is to ensure that the progress recorded at the tertiary level is matched by stronger science education at the basic and secondary-school levels, so that more young people from the region can meet the requirements to benefit from UTAS and contribute to the region’s development.
Source: Bolgafmonline.com| 102.7 MHz| Bolgatanga
