Navrongo (U/E), April 27, GNA - The Kassena-NanKana East

District Assembly has launched an Educational Endowment Fund to

support needy and brilliant students who, for lack of financial support,

are unable to further their education. The launch, which bagged GH¢12,000, was the contribution from

sons and daughters from the area and other well meaning people from

the region and beyond. Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, the Upper East Regional Minister who

launched the fund, called on the people of the region to support

education in order to bridge the education gap between the north and

the south. He said the region lacked human resource and it was more pathetic

when the Bolgatanga Regional health sector only had a ratio of one

doctor to 34,000 patients and that the situation was more pathetic when

students pass their examination and are unable to continue for lack of

funds. Mr Woyongo recalled a situation when he had to help five students

to study medicine at the university and that the establishment of the

Fund was timely and appealed to all to give their widow's mite to the

fund. He said whilst plans were underway to start similar funds in all

districts, he had directed each district to sponsor at least five students

every year to study medicine. "If education is our priority then we need to do more and by

contributing to education, people's capacities would be improved in the

North and help reduce poverty by mitigating its social effects on the

population, health and nutrition", he said. Mr Woyongo appealed to Muslims, especially those in the Zongo

communities, to end the era where their children were made to attend

only Arabic schools. 93The combination of English and Arabic

Education would make our children marketable on both the local and

international job markets."