Wa, Nov.18, GNA - Faith Fundamental Baptist Church has established a primary school to complement government's efforts of making education accessible to more children in the Wa Municipality. The 75,000-dollar one-storey school complex has kindergarten, day nursery and primary units and was built with funds from benevolent organisations and philanthropists from the US who are associated with the Church.

The school, christened "Times Baptist Academy International" is located at Sombo, a suburb of Wa and has a pupil population of 150. Inaugurating it the Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Issahaque Salia, commended the Church for its vision and sacrifice towards the development of the region and the country.

He said he was happy that the church was not only concerned about the spiritual development of its members but was also interested in their socio-economy development.

Alhaji Salia said because of the lack of good private schools, government workers, especially professionals who needed to man critical institutions, were refusing to accept postings to the region. He called on religious organisations to give more attention to establishment of schools in the north, saying: "Education is the panacea to northern development challenges". Alhaji Salia called for strict supervision in schools to help achieve good results as well as the reinforcement of religious morals in the children. Dr. Bob Jones III of Bob Jones University in the USA said Ghana's education had a bright future because there is good relationship between the churches and the state. "Elsewhere, Christian education is considered enemy of the state", he said adding: "Education without God produces clever criminals". Mr. Fabian Belieb, Upper West Regional Director of Education, appealed to the government to give more support to private schools than it is doing now. He said government should partner with private schools to help reduce high school fees and accommodation challenges to enroll more children. The Rev Timothy Seidu, Proprietor of the School, said it was the dream of the Church to establish a secondary school and a university in the region in the near future to give quality education to the people for development. 18 Nov 10