School fees frozen to reduce pressure on parents - Jake

The Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey has urged headmasters not to misconstrue the government's decision to freeze some school fees this year, as a means of derailing academic work or development of schools.

He explained that while the government attached great importance to the development of quality education, it was also concerned about the plight of the majority of Ghanaians, who could have found it extremely difficult to send their children to school, saying, that was why it decided to absorb the difference in the charges.

Mr Obetsebi Lamptey was speaking at the fifth Speech and Prize-Giving Day of the Nifa Secondary School at Adukrom-Akuapem, on Saturday. It was under the theme: "Education- a tool for community development".

Mr Obetsebi Lamptey paid tribute to teachers and said the government was very concerned about their plight and would do more to address some of the problems facing them in the country.

The Minister advised the students to take advantage of the opportunities offered them to learn hard to achieve higher academic laurels for themselves.

The District Chief Executive for Akwapim North, Dr Eugenia Danquah-Quist asked parents and communities to regard schools as their own assets and help to improve the quality of education for their children.

She called on parents to give equal educational opportunities to both girls and boys. The Headmaster of the school, Mr Nicholas Oppong Kyekyeku said 541 out of the 855 students were girls.

He enumerated a number of successes chalked by the school in the academic, sports, science and cultural fields and said the school would continue to be a force to reckon with on the Akwapim ridge.