Government interventions in education sector yields dividend

Hwidiem(B/A) Aug. 5, GNA- Government interventions in the education sector had led to a consistent increase in school enrolment at all levels in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mrs. Akua Debrah, Regional Director of Education, said at the weekend. She said the high increase in enrolment at the basic schools and senior high level was due to the introduction of the capitation grant, school feeding programme and payment of subsidies to senior high schools.

Mrs. Debrah was delivering an address as Guest Speaker at the annual congress of the Brong-Ahafo Students' Union (BASU) at Hwidiem in Asutifi District.

She disclosed that statistics indicated that between 2003/2004 and 2007/2008, enrolment at the kindergarten level shot up from 36,034 to 70,327 for boys, representing an increase of 95 per cent, whilst that for girls' for the same period increased from 36,383 to 70,273, indicating an increase of 93 per cent. The congress was on the theme: "Our People, Our Environment and Our Future."

At the primary level, enrolment of boys went up from 114, 989 to 162,768, representing an increase of 41.5 per cent, whilst enrolment for girls also shot up from 103,078 to 151,369, an increase of 46.8 per cent. Mrs. Debrah said at the Junior High School level there was an increase in enrolment for boys from 42,355 to 53,993 or 21.6 per cent and from 35,893 to 44,132 or 8.2 per cent for girls' during the same period.

At the Senior High School level, some schools that used to have low enrolment now have steady progress in enrolment. These include Serwaa Kesse Girls at Duayaw Nkwanta whose population shot from 232 to 800, Badu Senior High; 248 to 667, Wamanafo Senior High; 200 to 313, Kwame Danso Senior High; 250 to 900 and Sumaman Senior High; 202 to 447.

Mrs Debrah said in order to help address the problem of low gender parity index the girls' The Ghana Education Service in collaboration with UNICEF was working with four districts in the Region, namely Kintampo North and South, Atebubu-Amanten and Pru, to raise the enrolment.

Mr. Opoku Peprah, District Chief Executive, urged the students to endeavour to disseminate and propagate the good policies of government, devoid of partisanship, in order to keep the people well informed and abreast with developmental issues.

He asked them to take up voluntary teaching on vacation to render services where it is needed to make up for the unavailability of teachers in schools in their communities. Mr. Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Regional Minister, called on the national executive of the Association to establish a fund that could help the promotion of female education at the tertiary level in order to get more educated girls who would take up responsible positions in the country and help address the problem of low gender parity. The Minister advised them not to be content with the level they had attained in education but to strive to achieve the highest and to be good ambassadors of the Region, which commands respect by virtue of its natural resources and for producing some of the nation's great leaders. He pledged the total commitment and support of the Regional Coordinating Council for the association.

Nana Obiri Boahen, Minister of State at the Ministry of Interior, a Patron of the Association, pledged the total commitment of the government in maintaining peace and security before, during and after the December elections and warned that any group or individuals who would attempt to flout or abuse the law would be made to face the full rigours of the law. He advised the students not to allow factionalism and partisanship to derail them from their noble objectives and thwart their efforts in development.

Nana Boahen asked them to remain united to advance the cause of the Region and the Association.

Mr. Robert Koomson, out-going President of BASU, said the Association had succeeded in strengthening local membership and their capacities by printing out cards to members, liaising with the Member of Parliament Caucus of Brong Ahafo Region and other top executives of the area to sponsor the education of some members. He said financial problems and lack of a secretariat to keep their records and documents however appeared a major challenge to the association and appealed for assistance. The in-coming executive, which has Justin Owusu Banahene as President were later sworn into office.