NEPAD School feeding programme takes off in Birim South

Essam (E/R), July 20, GNA - Mr Frank Kwame Busumtwi, the Birim South District Chief Executive, on Thursday urged school pupils of Essam Local Authority Primary School to take advantage of the NEPAD School feeding programme being implemented in the area to be punctual and regular at school

He said the NEPAD School Feeding Programme and the Capitation Grant were pragmatic policies being undertaken by the government to ensure that every Ghanaian child got access to good quality basic education irrespective of where they lived or what their economic circumstances were.

Mr Bosumtwi said this when he launched the programme that was being implemented on a pilot scheme in the school with a pupil population of 350.

He said the programme would create ready markets for farmers in the area who would be selling their produce to the school. Mr Bosumtwi said he was not happy about a parent who was preventing his two children from taking part in the feeding programme on political grounds.

He advised all to disabuse their minds that the project was a ploy by the government to gain advantage over its political opponents. Mrs Stella K. Nanor, the District Director of Education, urged the pupils to reciprocate the government's gesture by studying hard. She said out of 146 primary schools in the area the school was among five primary schools chosen for the programme and urged the pupils to count themselves lucky and continue to be obedient at all times. Nana Yaw Obri 11, chief of Essam, commended the government on its efforts to ensure that financial barriers such as fees and levies were removed so that all children could avail themselves of the services that the school system provides. He was optimistic that the programme would help increase enrolment of pupils in the school. 20 July 06