Obuasi, Feb 18, GNA - A seven-member committee has been formed to monito= r the use of school classrooms by churches and other religious organization= s in the Obuasi Municipal area. This was the outcome of a stakeholders' meeting called to discuss the us= e of classrooms by churches. Representatives of the Local Council of Churches, the Municipal Education Directorate, the Obuasi Urban Council, Ghana National Associati= on of Teachers and the chairman of the education and social services sub-committee of the municipal assembly attended the meeting.

The Municipal Chief Executive, John Alexander Kobina Ackon, called the meeting following reports and complaints by head teachers that church activities were destroying school facilities including furniture. Mr Ackom said the committee would ensure that bye-laws governing the use= of classrooms by churches in the municipality were complied with. He said the assembly was spending huge sums of money on school infrastructure and that it was unfortunate some churches were not helping= in its maintenance. Mr Ackon said it was the intention of the government to eliminate the sh= ift system, schools under trees as well as schools without sanitation facilit= ies and called for the support of the public to achieve this. He said church-state co-operation was vital in the development of the nation and asked that the churches should avoid acts that could mar this.