The Minister of Education Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, on Saturday assured Ghanaians that rural schools occupy a very special place in the list of the government's priorities.

He said the government would embark on programmes and projects to ensure that schools in rural areas were provided with facilities to improve teaching and learning. Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi said since coming into office, the government had demonstrated its commitment to develop rural areas and expand access and opportunities for people living in such areas.

"Programmes like incentive package for teachers in difficult and deprived areas, teacher accommodation, construction and rehabilitation of basic schools infrastructure, rehabilitation of a number of Senior Secondary School, construction work on Vocational and Technical Centres (VOTEC) and programme to upgrade 110 Senior Secondary Schools are all demonstrable evidence of our commitment to rural areas".

The Minister was speaking at the 30th anniversary and the Seventh Speech and prize Giving Day of T.L. Ahmadiyaa Secondary School at Gomoa Potsin in the Central Region on the theme, "The potentials of rural schools in national development".

Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi said, "the government is aware that if we are to stand tall among the comity of nations and be a nation that is respected and envied, we must invest in the development of our people.

Human beings, needles to say are the most important resources that can move the nation forward and not the amount of cocoa, timber, diamond, gold and bauxite that is cultivated or mined".

He appealed to traditional authorities, Parent-Teacher Associations, Religious bodies, old students and district assemblies to help in the development of rural schools since the central government alone could not do it effectively.

The Minister said he had directed the Ghana Education Service to coordinate consultations with stakeholders for guidelines on new sets of basic school uniforms for next academic year.

Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, Principal of the University College of Education, Winneba, said success in life depended on "the fear of God and the acquisition and application of knowledge". Speaking on the school's motto, "Nyamesuro na Nyimdze ma kan ko" literally meaning the fear of God and knowledge bring success, he said moral decline in schools, homes and communities could be attributed to the fact that "most of us do not fear God".

He said for the country's gross national product (GNP) to improve from 347 dollars to 1000 dollars, greater attention should be paid to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The Principal expressed regret that though there are 49 Senior Secondary Schools with a total of 28,000 students in the Central Region, the gross enrolment ratio was 29 percent indicating that about 70 per cent of people within the age range 15-17 years were not in school.

The headmaster, Mr Mohammed K. Achonu said the authorities wanted to improve retention rate of students and to make "the school one of the schools of choice" within the next five years.

Mr Ackonu said the vision would be achieved through programmes to make it "a school of moral and academic excellence".

He said efforts would be made to retain high calibre teachers, create conducive environment for academic work, improve physical infrastructure and to promote discipline and commitment. Master Simaillah Benyaedzie Anason, head prefect mentioned inadequate classroom and dormitories and means of transport as the greatest problems facing the school and appealed to government to help address them. Master Richard Abekah of SS3 was adjudged the best student. He won prizes in Mathematics, English Language, Integrated Science, Computer studies and Economics,