Akuapem (Ash), July 28, GNA - The wrong perception and ignorance of some communities about the utilisation of the capitation grant has led to the refusal by some Asante-Akuapem residents to contribute funds toward the completion of a 300 million-cedis Junior Secondary School (JSS).

The community has so far spent 100 million cedis on the project, initiated four years ago and currently abandoned.

The failure of the project came up at an educational forum organised by the Atwima-Nwabiagya District Education Directorate at Akuapem, a farming community near Mfensi on Thursday to discuss problems affecting quality education delivering in the area. Members of the community reportedly held that the capitation grant could be used to finish the project. They were therefore reluctant to make contributions to it.

Mr Baffour Asare-Bediako, an Assistant Director of Education in-charge of Human Resource Management and Development, asked the community to do away with prejudices and wrong perceptions about the objectives and utilisation of the capitation grant. He explained that the grant was aimed at relieving parents the burden of paying cultural, sports and other minor levies which hitherto, were levied by the district assemblies to improve teaching and learning in basic schools.

Mr Asare-Bediako noted that it was the responsibility of the communities to mobilise adequate resources to fund capital-intensive educational programmes like the provision of school buildings and other infrastructure and advised the residents not to allow the introduction of the capitation grant to dwindle their self-help spirit. Mr Richard Owusu-Agyemang, District Community Participation Co-ordinator, was not happy about the total enrolment figure of 24 in the JSS and called on the community to team up with the teachers to intensify enrolment drive.

Mr Obeng Nyarko, the School Management Committee (SMC) Chairman, alleged that irregularity and persistent absenteeism of some of the teachers contributed to the low enrolment in the school.