Ho Launches ?1bn Education Fund

THE HO District Assembly, in collaboration with Unilever, has launched a ?1billion Education Fund.

This is in line with the government's determination to provide sound and quality education for all children of school going age.

As part of the measure, the Ho District Assembly has drawn up strategies not only to provide financial assistance to needy students of all categories but to ensure also that the infrastructure needed to enhance learning is progresively provided.

In this direction, the Ho District Chief Executive, Mr. Mawutor Goh, said the Assembly has put aside a significant chunk of its common fund to support the programme.

The assembly is also seeking partnership with industries, financial institutions and philanthropists in order to support and sustain the fund.

1n 2001, the assembly spent ?100million to support 1072 students in tertiary institutions, training colleges and secondary schools.

According to the DCE, ?600 and 800 million respectively was spent in 2000 and 2001 for education in the district.

He announced that the assembly would provide ?300m seed money for the fund.

Mr. Goh expressed regret about the inability of children in rural schools to gain admission into the so-called big schools adding, "if we are to maintain our reputation as a region that produces the cream of educated people for our public services and industry, then we have to do all we can to turn around the fortunes of our education for the better".

Unilever Marketing Manager for Home Care, Ebo Spio, presented a cheque for ?10m to the fund and called for a closer collaboration between the district assembly, the people and the company.

Last year, Unilever spent ?500 million on about 20,000 students through the country.

Togbe Adza Tam V, the chairman of the fund, appealed to the public to patronise Unilever products especially Key soap in order to help them realise their objectives in this regard