Govt earmarks C50bn to assist needy students

Ejura (Ash), May 25, GNA- The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETfund) has earmarked 50 billion cedis for scholarship schemes during the 2005 academic year.

Mr Issifu Mohammed Pangabu, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ejura-Sekyedumasi who announced this, said the amount would be disbursed through the Scholarship Secretariat to the various district education offices.

Mr Pangabu made the announcement at a durbar held by the Ashanti Regional chapter of the Ghana National Education Coalition (GNEC) at Ejura on Tuesday as part of activities marking the Global Week celebration on the theme: "Educate To End Poverty".

The MP observed that the inability of some parents to pay the fees of their children, lack of educational facilities and low moral of teachers were major contributory factors to the falling standards of education.

To help address the problem, the MP pledged to use part of his District Assemblies' Common Fund, to improve on school facilities in his constituency.

Mr John Kwadwo Owusu, Regional Coordinator of GNEC, said the Coalition was made up of civil society groups and non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders in education.

He said the Coalition also aimed at sensitising policy makers, integrate quality education programmes into its development plans and commit resources to help improve on education.

Mr Fabian Bellieb, District Director of Education said in a speech read on his behalf, that efforts were underway to arrest the falling standards of education in the area.

Miss Vida Nkrumah, Regional Deputy Coordinator of the National Council on Women and Development who chaired the function, urged parents and guardians to support the education of children especially the girl-child. 25 May 05