Sunyani (B/A) Feb. 13, GNA - Motivational Speakers at a symposium in Sunyani on Thursday called on the government to create public avenues that would help unearth and nurture the talents of school children. They noted that children are bestowed with potentials but the lack of public libraries, recreational centres and computer laboratories to help them discover such God given gifts had affected their proper upbringing and development.

Addressing more than 500 selected basic school pupils, drawn from the Sunyani Municipality, Mr. Haruna Mahama Alhassan, Sunyani Municipal Branch Manager of EcoBank said some school children roam in the streets after school hours or during the night because of lack of congenial places they could meet with their colleagues and read their books together. The symposium was organised by Dreams Foundation, a Sunyani-based non-governmental organisation on the theme: "Igniting tomorrow's future through today's dreams."

"If we provide school children with unique learning facilities in society they would take advantage of the opportunities provided them and to polish their reading and learning skills", Mr. Alhassan stated. Mr. Joseph Awuah, Headmaster of Sunyani Senior School advised the pupils to be disciplined and obey instructions given to them by their teachers and concentrate on their books.

He urged them to be wary about the way they pick their friends, saying "you should surrender yourself with people who are and likely to be achievers".

Mr. Awuah expressed concern about the rate at which some students in deprived areas in the municipality attends social functions especially during the night instead of reading their books.

Mr. Alfred Ofori Annye, former Municipal Co-ordinator of the National Youth Employment Programme said peer influence could be good or bad and advised the pupils to encourage their colleagues to shun unhealthy lifestyle and read their books.

He called for the institution of guiding and counselling centres at the basic schools to help pupils to unearth their talents. Mr. Michael Amponsah, President of the foundation stressed the importance to inspire children who are plunged into the quagmire of visionless tomorrow to have a sense of purpose and God-inspired dreams. 13 Feb. 10