The 1985/1987 year group of the Holy Child Senior Secondary School at Cape Coast in the Central Region have donated books worth GHC29,000 to the Leap school in Obuasi.

The gesture which was intended to improve teaching and learning in the school and surrounding communities was to also commemorate the Late Nana Akua Ohene Adu who was a co- founder of the Leap school and a past student of Holy Child school.

A member of the Association who led the donation, May Apraku said the late co-founder of the Leap school was an advocate for reading among children. She said the group was motivated by the relentless efforts to inculcate unto children the need to read.

"Late Ohene Adu was an active member of our Association and spearheaded a lot of activities. She was also a proponent of reading hence we have decided to honor her memory by donating these books to her school", she said.

She advised children to develop the habit of reading adding that reading is the bedrock to a successful academic life. Receiving the items, the Director and co-founder of the LEAP school, Aboagye Ohene Adu said he was touched by the gesture of the year group saying the donation also coincided with the one year anniversary of her wife, the late Akua Ohene Adu.

He intimated that old students of Holy Child school have been supporting the school in diverse ways adding that two of the members are part of the school's board members.

Founded 12 years ago, Ohene Adu said the school has been a champion of reading since it was initially established as a reading club.

"As a pioneer of early childhood development in this area, I believe these books will encourage children from nearby communities to develop the habit of reading", he stated.

Government should support private schools

The Director of the Leap school also appealed to the government to extend support to probate schools in the country. He said the outbreak of COVID-19 and the free senior high school introduced by the government affected private schools.

He said, "we all know the major role private schools play in supporting educational improvement in the country. We need government to extend the support it gives to public schools to us too".