Regional News of Thursday, 26 November 2015

Source: GNA

Winneba Secondary School celebrates 66th Speech and Prize-Given Day

Mrs Mary Arday-Kotei, retired Health Education Specialist, has recommended the need for the private sector to participate more in funding for education since the government alone cannot bear the cost of quality education.

“This can be done by providing research grants, awarding of scholarships and endowment of professorial chairs in universities,” she said.

Mrs Arday-Kotei who is also old student of Winneba Secondary School made the recommendation at the 66th Speech and Prize-given Day of the school where she was the guest speaker.

The day was on the theme: “Quality Education for national Development the role of stakeholders.”

Mrs Arday-Kotei said Government should enact enabling laws to make it mandatory for multi-national companies’ operating in the country to set aside a minimum percentage of their profits to help finance education.

According to her the state of education must continue to be the subject of national discourse at all levels.

She said the discussions should systematically move away from a politicised discourse to a more analytical approach that appreciates the complexities inherent in proffering genuine and workable solutions for revamping our educational system.

Mrs Arday-Kotei said since education is the bedrock for national development; it is in this regard that “as people we must work tirelessly…to ensure that quality education is being made available to all Ghanaian children, irrespective of where they might find themselves.

“The role of government as a stakeholder in quality education cannot be overemphasised and it is important that, an effective regulatory framework for education, formulate relevant strategic policy direction are put in place that will ensure provision of quality as far as the establishment and proliferation of educational institution as concern.”

She said there should be a system for monitoring educational institutions guarantee so that the high standards that these policies seek to maintain are adhered to.

Mr. Cheng Yi, Chairman of BXC Group of Companies dealers in Solar Penal Installation, a guest of honour commended the school in a speech delivered on his behalf for the tremendous development it has made in the education sector.

He said the backbone of every successful country is usually the quality of education of its citizens and with regard as investors it is in their interest to support educational sector to help produce more qualified and competent workforce.

He said it is in this direction that his company has decided to contribute its quota to help improve the quality of education.

Mr Chen said since the future of every country depends greatly on the youth, there is the need for stakeholders in education to join hands in providing quality education for them to be able to take over the mantle of leadership from the older generation.