President Kufuor hands over 200 buses to SHS

Accra, June 26, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday handed over keys to 200 buses to Senior High Schools (SHS) in five regions as part of the Government's continued efforts at providing the needed resources to promote quality education.

Bought at a total cost of 9.2 million dollars, they were given to SHS in Greater Accra, Volta, Northern, Upper East and the Upper West Regions.

Added to the buses were also eight four-wheel drive vehicles for the public Universities.

President Kufuor said the buses should make a difference to the performance of the schools to justify the investment. He observed that the provision of means of transport for second cycle institutions was an important ingredient for their efficient running and for generating a happy atmosphere among both teachers and students.

President Kufuor drew attention to the need for all to accept that the development of the human resource should be paramount if the nation was to meet its aspirations.

He said it was on account of this that the Government within the last seven years had put so much into education and expressed satisfaction with the vigorous infrastructure development that was taking place across board from basic to tertiary education.

"Between the GETFund and HIPC funds, Government has been able to change dramatically the face of education these seven years.

"I am proud that on the basis of broad consultation among stakeholders in the education sector, we have redefined what our schools should be like and we have settled for higher standards." He asked the school authorities to take good care of the buses and put them to good use.

Professor Dominic Fobih, Education Minister cautioned against their misuse and said offending heads of institutions would be sanctioned. The presentation, he said, was a manifestation of the importance the Government attached to the development of education. Mr Samuel Bannerman Mensah, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, said the Government through the improvement of educational infrastructure and logistics was helping to deliver on the mandate of quality education.