Chinese Counsellor commissions Assin-Nkran Basic Model School

Assin-Nkran (C/R), April 4, GNA - A plush model basic school built by the government of China for Assin-Nkran and its surrounding communities in the Assin South District was on Thursday handed over by the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Yu Wenzhe, to the Ministry of Education at a ceremony at Assin-Nkran. The school, which has of six furnished classrooms with storage cabinets, head-teacher's office and store, a library, staff common room and washrooms is one of the three model schools the Chinese government provided an amount of $1,000,000 for their construction in the Central, Western and Greater Accra regions.

The fenced school also has a Kindergarten block consisting of two rooms, supervisor's office, eating area, a store, sick bay, toilets, bath, an exclusive play area and an entrance porch with security post was built by a Chinese construction firm. The facility, which was jointly commissioned by Mr Wenzhe and the Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Joseph S Annan, and executed within 10 months, are among 100 rural schools China promised to build in Africa during China-Africa Summit in Beijing in 2006 of which three were to be built in Ghana.

He expressed the hope that the school would provide a better environment for the pupils to study and also serve as a symbol for more mutual cooperation between the two countries. The ambassador said China was impressed about the importance the government of Ghana attaches to education and would continue to support that effort. Dr Annan commended the Chinese government for its assistance and the contractors as well as the workers for their commitment and dedication and appealed to China to continue to share her experience with Ghana. He said the government would continue to improve infrastructure as part of measures to upgrade education from pre to basic school level and that at the pre-school level the various district, municipal and metropolitan assemblies would be required to offer assistance. Dr Annan said the Ministry of Education was working modalities to ensure the effective utilization of the Capitation Grant and regional directorates of education would be empowered to monitor its implementation and assist weaker districts through capacity building. He expressed the hope that the enhanced environment at the Assin-Nkran Model School would help change the face of education in the area and strengthen community participation to increase enrolment as well as ensure accountability on the part of the teachers. Dr Annan appealed to the chiefs and people of the area to develop interest in the running and maintenance of the school.