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Mrs Edem Emerald Welbeck, a banker, has said attractive interventions and approaches were needed to motivate and encourage girls to pursue careers in science and technology.

She said there was the need to enrich girls’ experience in science at all levels, draw attention to eminent women scientists as role models and more importantly bring women scientists to our schools. “Such initiatives will increase the motivation of girls who are already predisposed to careers in science,” Mrs Welbeck said at the 61st Speech and Prize Giving Day of OLA Girls.

Mrs Welbeck, a lecturer at the Department of Accounting at the University of Ghana, Legon, said science needed to be demystified by educators… presented in an attractive and stimulating fashion, with concepts of theory strongly linked to everyday life to appeal strongly to students especially girls.

“I urge you all to challenge yourselves, break the status quo, get out there and set standards, show the world that you are from OLA… you are the future, our beacons of hope,” Mrs Welbeck said.

She reminded the students that all facets of modern society were science and technology driven and offered expanding frontiers of opportunity to those who pursue and develop competencies and careers in those disciplines.

Mrs Welbeck said the broader labour market needed science and technology competencies to function effectively.

She however cautioned the students that “technology is still a disruptive innovation as it could be used by individuals for “cybercrimes, phishing, hacking and internet fraud.”