Major Courage Quashigah (RTD), Minister of Health, has appealed to the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports as well as the Ghana Education Service (GES) to put the study of health science in the syllabus of basic and second-cycle institutions.
He said this would create awareness among pupils and students about personal hygiene, physical and psychological education and environmental issues.
The Minister said this at the closing session of a "What Do You Know" quiz competition on health which was organised by the Ministry of Health (MOH) for Junior and Senior High schools students drawn from schools in the country in Kumasi at the weekend.
The competition formed part of the just-ended second Annual International Health Fair and sponsored by the Readwide Company Limited.
He commended Readwide Company for supporting and educating Ghanaians in all fields of study and said the time had come for corporate bodies to support government in raising educational and health standards.
Mrs Betty Isabella Aubin, Book Club Manager of Readwide, said the reading culture among the youth especially students was fast deteriorating and as a result her company had mounted a reading campaign tour of the country to promote reading in schools.
She suggested to the GES to collaborate with school authorities in forming reading clubs to support the initiative of the company.
Master Rex Asiedu of Komfo Anokye SHS at Wiamoase in the Ashanti Region, won the quiz competition with 29 points and received 350 Ghana cedis as his prize while Samuel Owusu-Ansah of T.I. Ahmadiyya SHS in Kumasi came second with 19 points and Jerik Yaaka of Narigu SHS in the Northern Region placed third with 16 points. They received 200 and 100 Ghana cedis as their prizes respectively.