Delivery of schools textbooks begins

Accra, Sept. 20, GNA - The Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ghana Education Service (GES) on Tuesday began the delivery of free textbooks to both public and private basic schools in the country. Schools in Ada, Dodowa, Abokobi and Amasaman districts were the first to receive their share of the textbooks. The rest of the districts in the country are yet to receive their share.

Mr Michael Kenneth Nsowah, Acting Director of the GES said 600 containers of textbooks at a cost of over 60 million dollars were being expected but twenty containers had so far arrived and that the rest would be delivered by the end of this month.

He said the books were government property and strictly not meant for sale.

He said there was a little difference in the new books because the old ones were only modified to include new topics to make them more relevant to meet modern educational standards.

Ms Elizabeth Ohene handed over the books to Mr Mike Adjowerh-Nortey, the District Chief Executive for Dangbe West and Mrs Elizabeth Amoako Enimil, District Director of Education Ga East at separate ceremonies. She said for the rest of the weeks more of the books would be delivered and urged them to begin distributing them immediately to the pupils.

Ms Ohene said government promised that for the beginning of this academic year every child at the basic level would be given a book each, adding "this is in fulfilment of what was said so the school authorities should take very good care of the books." She appealed to DCEs to assist the schools with storage facilities such as cupboards to enable them to handle the books with care. 20 Sept. 05