Take advantage of the Capitation Grant to educate your child - MP

Tafi-Mador, Oct. 10, GNA - Mr Joseph Amenowode, Member of Parliament for Hohoe-South at the weekend called on parents to embrace the Government's free education policy and the Capitation grant to enrol their children in school. He said the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) and the Capitation grant had brought relief to poor parents who could now send their children to school.

Mr Amenowode, who made the call at the second Tafi-Mador Youth Festival at Tafi-Mador, said irresponsible parents could not use poverty as an excuse to deny their children basic education. He said poverty could only be reduced if parents invested in the education of their children and took keen interest in their upbringing.

Mr Amenowode, therefore, called on stakeholders in education to 'gird their loins' to facilitate the growth and improvement on the standards of education in the area. He commended the chiefs and people for taking their destiny into their hands and was optimistic that the festival would continue to serve as a platform to tackle issues of development including education in the area.

Mr John Peter Amewu, Hohoe District Chief Executive said the Assembly in conjunction with other stakeholders in education would soon organize a conference to address problems affecting education in the area and urged chiefs in the district to participate effectively in the conference. He pledged the assembly's commitment to improve on facilities and motivate teachers for effective and efficient teaching and learning in the district. Mr Timothy Agbley, Chairman of Tafi-Mador Youth Association (TAMAYA) said through development levies, some development projects had been completed in the area.

The projects included provision of chairs and tables for teachers in all basic schools, re-roofing of the Local Authority Basic School at Tafi-Mador and the payment of 10 per cent community commitment fees towards the construction of a 50-million cedis KVIP, and a 500 million cedis district assembly funded JSS block. Mr Agbley said the association intended to extend electricity to all basic schools in the area to enable pupils and students study at night in addition to the establishment of a Community Venture Fund. Togbe Adjah Kofi V, Chief of Tafi-Mador urged the people to contribute their quota towards improvement in education in the area. He commended the Hohoe District Assembly for providing funds for the construction of a new JSS block for the Tafi-Mador Community and hoped it would assist improve education in the area. The festival was attended by a 15-member cultural troupe from Wrexham Northwales in the United Kingdom led by Madam Dianne Hughes, on their maiden visit to Africa.