Government committed to education -President

Kumasi, Feb 29, GNA- President John Agyekum Kufuor, has said government was committed to providing favourable environment for the development of education in the country.

He said the introduction of policies such as the Capitation Grant and School Feeding Programme and the provision of classrooms, library, computers and accessories were testimonies of government's efforts to enhance teaching and learning.

Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs and Culture and Member of Parliament (MP) for Subin, said this when he read a speech on behalf of the President at the inauguration of Godbless Central Senior High School, a private school in Kumasi on Friday. He announced that plans were far advanced by government to establish an Open University in September this year to enable more Ghanaians pursue education including distance learning education. President Kufour said discipline was the hallmark of every student and urged heads of schools to instill discipline in their students to enable them achieve higher academic laurels.

He called on parents and guardians to provide basic educational needs of their children to supplement efforts of government to improve education.

Nana Godbless Amankwaah Semanhyia I, Nkosuohene of Akyeremade in the Ashanti Region, and proprietor of the school, said the school established in 2005 with 185 students and 22 tutors, now had 570 students and 33 tutors.

He commended government for introducing policies such as the Capitation Grant and School Feeding Programme and for providing textbooks for public schools and in schools and the President's Special Initiative. Nana Semanhyia appealed to government to extend the policies to include private schools.

He announced that Godbless school has acquired a 50 hectare land at Aburaso in Kumasi for the establishment of a private university. Mr Michael Asubonteng, headmaster of Godbless school, said the school offered courses in Business, General Arts, Visual Arts, General Science and Agriculture.

He appealed to President Kufour, philanthropists and organisations to assist the school acquire science laboratory, classrooms, computers and a bus.

Mr Boadi Suadwa, Deputy Ashanti Regional Director of Education, who chaired the function, advised management of the school to provide incentive packages to the tutors to motivate them to work harder to improve on the performance of the school.