Fomena (Ash), May 31, GNA - Vice-President John Dramani Mahama, has called on school Authorities and Parents to be conscious of what young students do, especially when they are together in school. He said this was crucial because a morally upright scholar is an asset to the society.

The Vice-President said this in an address which was read on his behalf at the 40th Speech and Prize-Giving Day of T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School at Fomena in the Adansi North district on Saturday.

It was under the theme; "The Contribution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission to the Formal Education in Ghana, The Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward."

He noted that the Mission has impacted positively on the lives of many people through its contribution to education and health as well as in terms of the provision of infrastructure.

"As social and development partner of the government, the Mission has provided hospitals and educational facilities nationwide. It also provides quality religious and secular education with sound moral and spiritual values", he said.

The Vice-President thanked the founding fathers of the school for their initiative and selfless devotion in setting up the school and also congratulated the management, staff and students of the school for their hard work in bringing the school to this level.

He indicated that human resource development has become the major determinant of a nation's economic growth rather than the possession of natural resources and Ghana, therefore cannot afford to stay behind in this all important area of development.

He said this was why the government was not sparing any effort to develop education from the basic to the highest level. Mr. Mahama reminded the teachers of their responsibilities and advised them to live above reproach and demonstrate a high sense of humility, punctuality, honesty and devotion to duty.

Mr.Alex Tetteh-Enyo, Minister of Education praised the Adansi Traditional Council for its contribution towards the development of education in the area and expressed the hope that other traditional councils would emulate it.

"If other traditional Councils would team up with the government, a lot would be achieved not only in the area of education but also in other development programmes".

Mr. Nazir Ahmed Keelson, Headmaster of the School called for equitable distribution of resources especially from the GETFund to all schools in the country.

He said "the practice whereby some few schools receive a lion's share of the resources will not augur well for our nation. For, there should be quality education for all the children of the nation and most especially those in the rural areas".

Alhaji Lateef Majdoub, the Adansi North District Chief Executive (DCE) said negotiations were far advanced with the contractor working on the Fomena Small Town Water Projects to extend additional standing pipes to the school. He stressed that since discipline was the bedrock of academic and quality education, teachers and parents have to strive to instil moral values in children so that they could contribute their quota to building a just society. Maulvi A Wahab Adam, the Ameer and Missionary in-charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission said it was time members f the mission rededicated themselves to the strategic vision of using education to accelerate the socio-economic development of the country. 31 May 09