Ruth Ama Gyan-Darkwa, a 13-year-old genius shocked the world after she earned a merit admission to study for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics, at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi. Below is the inspiring story of the young scholar.
Ruth Ama Gyan-Darkwa Biography
Ruth was born to Mr. and Mrs. Kwadwo Gyan-Darkwa on May 29, 2004. She is one of her parents’ 8 children. The star child is from Anyimon, Berekum in the Brong-Ahafo Region but she grew up at Prempeh College, Kumasi with her family where her father works as a senior school mathematics and physics teacher.
For manifesting natural brilliance quite early, Ruth’s parents enrolled her in Kindergarten at age 3. A year later, she furthered at Christ Our Hope International school for her basic education despite appearing too young. She finished excellently at 8 and then continued with Juinor High at Abraham Lincoln International School.
While still in Junior High School class 1 and aged 9, Ruth sat for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) at the Justice International School Asuofua in the Ashanti Region.
As you might expect, she also did great in the exam and was thus, admitted into St. Louis Senior High at a very young age of 10. By age12, the amazingly intelligent child completed her Senior High School education.
She is now pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics (B.Sc. Mathematics), at KNUST and is expected to graduate with the 2021 class, at the age of 17, if everything goes as planned.
Read Also: Importance of Education: 10 Undeniable Facts
Facts about The KNUST Maths Student
1. She is One of 8 Brilliant Kids
A lot of people may be thinking that this genius of a girl was born into a rich family with few kids and, that it made it possible for her to get all the attention she needed in order to attain what she has so far accomplished. This is not so, Ruth is actually the third out of the eight children of Mr. and Mrs. Gyan-Darkwa who are average income earners but serious with their kids’ education. Ruth has four other sisters and three brothers.
Remarkably, she isn’t the only super-brilliant chap in her home. She is expected to graduate a year below some of her siblings’ graduating age. Yeah, some of her siblings graduated from KNUST at the age of 18. Also, her immediate elder sister who was 15 in 2017 was hoping to study Medicine and Surgery abroad, having been denied an admission last year to do so in Ghana.
2. President Akufo-Addo is Her Role Model
In an interview with Joy FM’s Super Morning Host, Kojo Yankson on Wednesday, October 11, Ruth revealed that she looks up to the incumbent President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in taking her studies very seriously. Describing the President as hardworking and one who learns a lot, the youngest KNUST student announced that the president is her role model.
In addition to hard work, Ruth Ama Gya-Darkwa attributed her extraordinary success to God. She also advised young ones to put God first in all they do and never to sideline Him.
3. B.Sc. Maths is Just Her Stepping Stone
According to Ruth, she opted for Mathematics in her first bachelor’s degree in order to grab fundamental knowledge that will enable her study Computer Science or Space Engineering later.
She said her Computer Science and Space Engineering dreams are being driven by her great love for software as well as the passion to contribute to Ghana’s space challenge and that of the African continent at large.
4. She is the Youngest Student in KNUST’s History
Ruth Ama Gyan-Darkwa is the youngest student KNUST has ever had. In the history of the institution, no one younger than her has ever been admitted.
5. Ruth Has Maintained Her Brilliance in KNUST
One unique thing about Ruth is her ability to eclipse some of her schoolmates even though she is quite younger than most of them. She has been able to maintain her outstanding academic performance.
For parents who would love to have their kids replicate or surpass Ruth’s records, here’s a summarized breakdown on how the lass accomplished her educational attainments:
- 1 year in Kindergarten
- 4 years in Basic School
- 4 years in High School (1 in JHS and 3 in SHS)
- In all, Ruth Ama Gyan-Darkwa started school at age 3 and spent only 9 years as against the normal 15 years to complete her pre-primary, primary and high school education.
