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| JAK launches "My first day in School" |
9/13/2007 |
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Savelugu, (N/R), Sept 11, GNA- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday launched "My first day in school" at the Savelugu Experimental Primary School in the Savelugu/Naton District and stated that under the new educational reforms every child in the country between the ages of four to 15 years would enjoy free and compulsory basic education at the expense of the State.
He noted that with this new policy in addition to others, such as the capitation grant and school feeding programme it was now untenable for any parent or community to use the excuse of poverty to deny their children education.
The school was established in 1980 with a population of 50 pupils comprising a nursery class of 30 and 20 primary one pupils. For "My first day in school", the school enrolled 57 pupils for the nursery and 80 pupils for the primary.
President Kufuor said the government was committed to the development of the human resource of the country and that was why it was investing so much in the provision of educational infrastructural and other facilities to ensure that the younger generation was well educated.
He urged parents to invest in the proper education of their children since they were their greatest assets and asked them not to use them, especially the girl-child as farm hands or allow them to migrate to the south to engage in menial work such as "Kayayee".
The President said government was also committed to improving upon the salaries and service conditions of teachers to enable them to teach effectively and appealed for their understanding and cooperation. He said, during the last six years, over 5000 schools had been built throughout the country, while the salaries of teachers had also appreciated slightly.
He observed that the Savelugu/Naton District was one of the beneficiaries of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) and urged the people to take advantage of it to engage in agriculture to improve upon their lives.
President Kufuor however urged them not to concentrate all their activities on trading and agriculture but also pay particular attention to the education of their children.
Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, the Northern Regional Minister observed that the day was a special one for education in the district and the lives of the pupils.
He asked parents and school authorities to monitor the progress of the children in school to ensure that they were punctual and regular in attendance to school.
Madam Mariama Zakaria, Headmistress of the school said for the academic year 2006-2007, the total population of the school was 998 comprising 493 boys and 505 girls.
She said the school was the largest in the Savelugu/Nanton District and the most gender friendly.
She said the school was faced with a number of challenges including; encroachment on its lands, inadequate classroom accommodation and lack of electricity supply. President Kufuor later interacted with the pupils and distributed soft drinks, biscuits, cups and Ghana at 50 cups and "T" shirts to the pupils.
Source:
GNA
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