Monsignor Kitzito JSS Gets Electricity.

Nayagenia (U/E), April 13, GNA - The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mahami Salifu, at the weekend commissioned a 50-million-cedi electrification project for the Monsignor Kitzito JSS in the Kassena-Nankana District initiated by the Nayagenia Development Association (NDA).

The school was also single handedly painted by Madam Benedictor Pialore, a pioneer of the school and a member of the NDA.

In an address to commission the project, the Regional Minister said the electrification project was a sign of a renewed commitment to education delivery by the people of Nayagenia and that members of the Association should not only limit themselves to executing projects but move beyond that to include family re-union and reconciliation among the people.

" You should strive to make home coming a regular feature and by this you will get to know the problems of the communities better and be in a better position to tackle the problems effectively". He deplored the low standard of education in the district and said while Navrongo was once the seat of education in northern Ghana the story is different today in spite of the fact that more institutions of learning such as the University for Development Studies (UDS), the Saint John Bosco's Training College and the Navrongo Secondary School, among others, are sited in that district.

Mr. Salifu attributed the falling standard of education in the area to insufficient educational infrastructure, lukewarm attitude of parents to the education of their wards and the lack of teachers, adding that some well-endowed parents are reluctant to invest in the education of their children and as a result most of them drop out of school, while teachers who graduate from the Training college refuse posting to the district.

He therefore called on the NDA to wake up to the task and ensure that parents and other stakeholders in education appreciate the need for them to deliver quality service to improve upon education in the area. Mr. Salifu reminded the Association to involve the District Assembly in the execution of their projects to get technical advice and avoid duplication of projects.

The Minister noted that in spite of so much talk about the dangers of HIV/AIDS, the sexual behaviour is still the same and said reports on HIV/AIDS cases in the Kassena-Nankana district is alarming because it has the highest prevalence rate in the region. He urged members of the association to add their voice to health educators as a contribution in reducing the rate of infection.

The Chairman of the Accra-Tema branch of the Association, Mr. Mark Woyongo, said the Nayagenia community prides itself as one of the villages in the district, which has an enviable array of well-educated people and said the Association aims at mobilizing these talents for the development of the village and Navrongo in general.

He said funds for the project was realized from contributions of members of the Association abroad and in Ghana and that it has further initiated the construction of the Kongwania Primary School block at the 864 million cedis.

Mr. Woyongo said the Association is considering the construction of additional classroom blocks for the Saint Kitzito JSS, which currently has over 80 pupils in a classroom, adding that the overcrowding in that school does not augur well for a conducive learning environment. He pealed to philanthropic organizations, Diplomatic Missions and individuals to assist the Association fund these projects.