Jema (B/A), Nov 13, GNA - The government has designed a programme that will help enhance the living conditions of teachers, Mr. Kwame Ampofo-Twumasi, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports, said at the weekend.

He commended the Christian Council, religious bodies, traditional authorities and all who helped in diverse ways to get the NAGRAT members to rescind their industrial action.

Mr Ampofo-Twumasi was speaking at a fund raising rally towards the construction of a 500 million-cedi male hostel for Jema Secondary School at Jema in Kintampo South District.

He said the development of the country was a collective responsibility and there was the need for each and every one to contribute, "whilst the national cake is shared equitably". The Deputy Minister said the government appreciated the important role of teachers in building the human resource base for accelerated national development.

Mr. Ampofo-Twumasi, who is MP for Nkoranza South, appealed to NAGRAT to redouble their efforts and help particularly final year students to cover the syllabus.

Mr. Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, the MP for Sunyani West, expressed concern about the over-reliance of assemblies on the District Assembly Common Fund and urged them to explore ways of generating more revenue. He spoke about chieftaincy disputes and land litigations in the region and appealed to the Regional House of Chiefs to settle such disputes amicably for peace and development.

Mr Adjei-Darko appealed to traditional authorities to institute education endowment funds to support brilliant but needy students. Nana Kwadwo Kwakye, the Deputy Regional Minister, attributed the falling standards in education in the district to lateness, absenteeism and indiscipline among teachers and students and urged parents to assist in addressing the problem.

Mr. Yaw Adjei-Duffour, the District Chief Executive, said an improvement in the standard of education in the district was a shared responsibility and called on the people to financially support the school, the only second cycle institution in the district.

He said lack of a male hostel did not allow the admission of students from other districts and appealed to philanthropists, NGOs and both resident and all citizens of the area to support the project. Mr. Yaw Amponsah Agyei, Chairman of Board of Governors, said the school, which was started in 1991 with 25 students, now has more than 500 students.

He mentioned inadequate teaching and learning materials, lack of good drinking water and staff accommodation, among others, as problems facing the school.

The headmaster expressed regret that the male students work on the farms of their landlords fortnightly and this inadvertently affected their performance. 13 Nov 06