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Regional News of Sunday, 19 February 2006

Source: GNA

Six students impregnated within three months at Wassa Akyempim JSS

Wassa Akyempim(W/R), Feb. 19, GNA - Six students of Wassa Akyempim Junior Secondary School in the Mpohor Wassa East District of the Western Region were impregnated within three months.

Mr John Owusu, Headmaster of the school announced this during the handing over of a 480 million cedis rehabilitated building for the JSS by the management of Wexford Goldfields Limited (WGL) at Wassa Akyempim. The project included the rehabilitation of a two-classroom block for the JSS, a six-classroom block for the primary, two-classroom block for the nursery, renovation of the library, construction of a urinal and an aqua-privy place of convenience and wiring and extension of electricity to the school.

Mr Owusu expressed concern about the rate at which girls were dropping out of school and appealed to the Mpohor Wassa East District Assembly and chiefs in the area to enforce byelaws to reduce the high rate of teenage pregnancy in the district. He said public opinion indicated that accepting students who had delivered babies back to the classroom encouraged girls to indulge in promiscuity.

Others were of the view that some pregnancies were accidental therefore, girls willing to attend school after delivery should be accepted to enable them continue with their education to become better citizens in society.

Mr Owusu said enlightenment of a community depended on the level of education and therefore, appealed to parents to send their children to school. "The legacy the company could bequeath to the community is the provision of educational structures and it is up to the people to take advantage of it," He added.

He appealed to the management of the company to assist the school provide books to the library. 19 Feb. 06