Koforidua, April 29, GNA - Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Eastern Regional Minister, said that government's resolve to improve the standards of basic education, particularly in the rural areas, was not a political rhetoric. He said that government would deliver its campaign promise to realize the better Ghana agenda, which was aimed at reducing poverty and strengthening sectors of the economy such as education. Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo made the promise when he distributed 1,409 sets of uniforms for school children in Manya Krobo, Kwahu North and Akyemmansa Districts in fulfillment of government's free uniform policy for school children in deprived areas, in Koforidua.

He said the policy was a social intervention to cushion the rural poor to ensure that poverty did not prevent any child from accessing at least basic education.

Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo said some parents in deprived areas could not acquire school uniforms for their children, affecting their academic performance and called on public officials in charge of the free uniforms programme to consider it as a serious exercise.

He said the region had received 42,000 pre-cut school uniforms for distribution to all the districts for sewing adding that government had heeded the call for local people to be given the contract for sewing the uniforms.

Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo said that local tailors and dressmakers across the country would be given the contract and called on District Directors of Education to collaborate with their respective District Chief Executives (DCEs)to identify tailors and dressmakers for the contract. He said government had earmarked 4,000 basic schools, operating under trees across the country, for rehabilitation to facilitate teaching and learning.

Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo appealed to District Directors of Education in the region to work harder to improve the performance of students at Basic Education Certificate Examination.

Mrs Kate Agyeman Badu, the District Director of Education for East-Akim, said the distribution of the uniforms would boost the morale of children in the rural area and enhance their out put. Mr Tom Budu, the DCE for Akyemmansa, said the distribution of the school uniforms had brought relief to parents and children and cited that some of the beneficiaries had to borrow school uniforms to enable them to attend Regional Co-ordinating Council programmes.