US Peace Corps sworn in

Techiman, Aug 28, GNA - Nana Kwadwo Seinti, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, has commended American Peace Corps volunteers for promoting education in the country and called for more science teacher volunteers.

He said it was the policy of the government to encourage more school children to study science and mathematics and more American science teachers would greatly help to advance this policy.

Nana Seinti said this in a speech read for him at the swearing-in of 24 American Peace Corps volunteers at Techiman in the region after three months' orientation.

The volunteers, who will teach in junior and senior secondary schools in mostly deprived areas, went through training in language, culture and technical skills.

They will serve in Brong Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta and Western regions. Nana Seinti congratulated "these young men and women who have left the comfort of their country, homes, friends and families and probably at the expense of their future personal development, to serve in difficult areas of our country, where even our citizens are unwilling to serve".

He assured the volunteers that the government would guarantee their safety and security and support their efforts in serving the country and urged them to be good role models to their students, especially in dressing, discipline and time management.

Mr Jerry Lanier, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in Ghana, said the US government was proud of the contributions of the Peace Corps and the cordial relations with Ghana.

He expressed appreciation for the warm attitude of Ghanaians to the volunteers: "We get more from Ghana than what Ghana gets from us". Ms Madaleine Mader, Country Director of the Peace Corps, said the current batch of volunteers included two computer specialists to assist in the teaching of computer science.