Damongo, (N/R), March 26, GNA -The Ministry of Education and Sports has begun discussions with the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT and the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) to design a well- structured scheme for the acquisition of means of transport for teachers.

The scheme is in fulfilment of President John Agyekum Kufuor's announcement at this year's Best Teacher's Award in Cape Coast of the government's intention to facilitate the acquisition of means of transport such as cars, mopeds, motorcycles and bicycles for teachers Mr. Kwame Ampofo Twumasi, Deputy Minister of Education and Sports in-charge of Technical Education announced that the government has kept faith with his word and currently, "preliminary discussions are taking place between the sector Ministry and the Teachers Associations to design a well structured scheme to that effect".

Mr. Twumasi was speaking at the 40th Anniversary Speech and Prize-Giving Day of the Damongo Secondary School at Damongo in the West Gonja District on Saturday, which was on the theme: "Discipline, a tool for academic excellence".

He expressed disappointment at the undue delay by some contractors in the execution of projects at the school saying defaulting contractors would be sanctioned.

He announced that the government had initially earmarked 17 billion cedis to improve infrastru cture of the school but due to delay on the part of some of the 11 Contractors undertaking the construction of the projects and the fluctuation in the cost of building materials, the cost had now risen to 21 billion cedis.

Mr. Twumasi said: "We have learned lessons from their behaviour and next time, we shall not make such mistakes", pointing out that some setbacks had been identified, especially the process of disbursement, which needed to be simplified.

He said in order to move the country forward; there was the need to pursue education that was relevant to the national aspiration and agenda and called on stakeholders in education, especially school authorities to make this their concern.

"If we do not want to perish, then we must seek knowledge", he said, adding: "It is only education that can sustain the nation and this is why human resource development has become the cornerstone of the government".

The Deputy Minister urged the students to hard work to complement the efforts of the government, teachers and their parents to make life a success, saying: "you need to develop your skills in order not to be misfits in the society tomorrow".

Mr. Twumasi said he was not enthused with the performance of the Damongo Secondary School in the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) and urged the teachers and students not to use the inadequate facilities in the school as a factor for their poor performance. He urged the teachers to give serious attention to the teaching of Mathematics, Science, English and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the school "if we do not want the country to be a back-bencher in the academic level".

"Teachers should encourage students, especially girls to develop interest in these subjects urging them not to let their inactions to discourage them from studying the subjects", he said.