Presbyterian Church launches project to assist school children

Akropong-Akuapem (E/R), Aug. 25, GNA - The Akropong Grace Presbyterian Church on Saturday, launched a 36-million "Leisure for Education" Project to assist school children to pay their fees. Under the project, the Church would support needy school children in Primary Three with citrus, oil palm; pear and paw paw seedlings to plant.

It is expected that by the time the pupils get to Primary Six, the seedlings, if well nurtured, would have matured.

Revenue from the harvest and sale of the fruits could be saved towards their Senior Secondary education.

A total of 30 school children between the ages of 8 and 15 were each presented with a hencoop and ten three-week old chickens to rear at the launching of the project jointly sponsored by the Church and the Beatrex Enterprise, manufacturers of Lord Mosquito Coil and Friendship Toothpaste.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Akuapem North District Chief Executive, Dr (Mrs) Eugenia Dankwa-Quist, appealed to parents to sacrifice to support the education of their children.

She explained that this was necessary the only way they could help their children to effectively compete on the job market to play the needed role for national development.

Mr. Ebenezer Abboah-Offei, Chairman of the Project, said most children in the Akuapem area had problems in paying their school fees, adding that, the project was one of the Church's efforts in honouring its social obligation to its members and society.

He said records on the HIV/AIDS infections in the area showed that young men and women were the most affected. If a lot of such people were thought how to use their leisure hours to work and raise money for themselves and their education, they may not be attracted to sex and other activities that exposed them to the HIV virus.

Mr. Emmanuel Nuworzah, Project Co-ordinator, explained that the project was based on findings of a research conducted in the district in 1999, which indicated that the standard of education was falling because about 60 per cent of pupils spent more time outside the classroom because they cannot pay their fees and provide basic learning materials. He said after the pilot project, the scheme would be extended to other areas within the Akuapem Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church. 25 Aug. 03