School project commissioned

Akropong-Akuapem (E/R), June 12, GNA - An 80-million-cedi block of three classrooms and a computer laboratory for the Akropong-Akuapem Methodist Junior Secondary School (JSS) was inaugurated on Friday. The European Union (EU) contributed 70 million cedis while the district assembly provided 10 million cedis towards the project.

Dr Kwaku Sarfo, EU Representative, said a total of 1,850 EU micro-projects were constructed during the first-four phases of the programme, which started in 1990, with 700 of the projects in the education sector.

He said the projects were located in the Brong-Ahafo, the Ashanti and the Western Regions respectively. According to Dr Sarfo, all the districts in the Eastern Region would benefit from the 5th phase of the EU micro-projects in July, next year.

He said the Akuapem North district was currently benefiting from 14 projects under the Individual Limited Intervention Programme (ILIP) in the areas of health, education and sanitation.

Dr Sarfo gave the assurance that the EU would continue to support communities with self-initiated programmes, especially those on education.

He advised parents against spending huge sums of money on marriages, funerals and expensive clothing and invest in the education of their children.

Dr Sarfo advised the school authorities to maintenance the facilities to ensure the long span.

The District Chief Executive for Akwapim North, Dr Mrs Eugenia Danquah Quist, commended the EU for initiating projects in the area and praised the people for assisting in their implementation. She said community ownership of such projects would ensure their proper maintenance to prolong their lifespan.

Dr Mrs Danquah Quist said the assembly would continue to ensure the implementation of more projects to help improve the standard of living of the people.

The Akuapem District Director of Education, Hajia Katumi Mahama, commended EU for providing educational infrastructure nation-wide, which, she noted, complemented government's effort to ensure the success of the Free Compulsory Basic Education (FCUBE) programme.

She appealed to the EU and non-governmental organisation to provide more school buildings and rehabilitate old ones to enhance education in the country.

Hajia Mahama expressed the hope that teachers and students of the Akropong-Akuapem Methodist JSS would make maximum use of the facilities to raise the standard of education in the area.