Konongo-Ashanti, July 15, GNA - Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, has observed that Government spent 9.5 trillion cedis on tertiary education in 2006/2007 academic year. He said the amount represented 45 per cent of the total budget on education for the year under review and 22 per cent of the national budget.

Mr Baah-Wiredu who announced this in an address read on his behalf at the inauguration of Asante-Akim North Students Union at Konongo, urged students to appreciate Government's efforts to promote quality education at the tertiary level.

It was under the theme, "Education - Role of the Tertiary Student towards the Community," and attended by chiefs, assembly members and stakeholders in education.

The union made up of more than 70 tertiary students was formed to improve on the low standards of education in the district and motivate students in pre-tertiary institutions to aspire for high laurels in education.

Mr Baah-Wiredu noted that Government's quest to improve facilities in tertiary institutions was manifested in the massive infrastructure development being undertaken in public universities. He asked members of the union to strive to achieve higher academic laurels to inspire the youth in the district and give meaning to the union's vision.

Professor Frimpong Mensah, Dean of Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), expressed concern about the decline in academic performance in the district.

Prof. Mensah, who is also the Adontenhene of Domeabra near Agogo-Ashanti, said the authorities of KNUST in 2001, introduced a policy where six places were reserved for students from less endowed schools in the district in its annual enrolment. However, he said no student from the district had since 2004 benefited from the policy due to their inability to make the required minimum grades.

Prof. Mensah asked executives of the union to create an effective forum to sensitise students on the need to work extra hard to have access to tertiary education.

Mr Victor Owusu, Interim President of the union, said it was established to address the poor performance of schools and the low enrolment of students from the district in various universities. He appealed to the assembly to provide the union with an office and include it in the disbursement of the assembly's common fund. Mr Owusu announced that the union would soon launch an appeal for fund towards the establishment of an endowment fund to assist needy but brilliant students and urged well-meaning citizens of the district to contribute generously.