Nkawkaw (E/R), Feb. 21, GNA - Mr Godwin Sowah, President of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS), has urged the government not to allow progressive forces of the developed world to influence the nation's education policy.

He said due to the influence of those forces, it had been difficult to maintain a single focus educational plan. Mr Sowah said this in an address read for him at the launch of the Eastern Regional celebration of GNAPS Week at Nkawkaw on Saturday. It was on the theme: "The State in pursuit of quality and relevant education".

He said the nation had had a good number of educational reforms all of, which were well intended but failed to be panaceas in many areas of the country's economic, social and political life. Mr Sowah said GNAPS had been building the needed super structures, providing quality education infrastructure, teaching and learning materials, maintenance of culture, committed work force, including management teams and school Heads, as well as committed inspectorate teams in the regional and district education offices to supervise the teaching and learning process. He said by the end of the year, GNAPS would set up an inspectorate office to inspect private schools in the Accra Metropolis, as well as regional and district capitals to improve upon quality education in the country.

The outgoing Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Emmanuel Boansi Darkwa, commended GNAPS for its contribution towards the establishment of schools to absorb the large number of school-going children, who could not get admissions in the public schools.

He appealed to the government to assist private schools with text books and also extend the school feeding programme to them to improve upon the quality of teaching and learning in the schools.