Bongo (U/E), April 22, GNA - The Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) has been commended for complementing the government's efforts at addressing education problems in the Upper East and Northern regions.

The District Chief Executive for Bongo, Mr. Clement Akugre, said this when ISODEC presented school uniforms, textbooks, exercise books, mathematical sets, pens, pencils and mini bags of maize to over 400 brilliant but needy students in basic schools in the District. Each of the students took home a school uniform, a pair of sandals, 10 exercise books, three text books, 10 pens, 10 pencils, a mathematical set and bag of maize.

Mr Akugre said unlike other non-governmental organizations that seek funding to support development work and eventually divert the funds for individual use, ISODEC had demonstrated that it was different by continuously providing education materials and food to needy but brilliant students. He appealed to parents to give equal opportunities to the girls' education instead of focusing on boys and said there was evidence that girls who were given enough support in education contributed more to family development than boys.

The District Director of Education, Mr. Francis Agyere, in a speech read for him appealed to parents to support teachers in their children's education by constantly monitoring their activities and visiting schools to see how their children were performing. The Upper East Regional Director of ISODEC, Mr. Jonathan Adabre, said in the past seven years ISODEC has been implementing the "Ambassador Girls Scholarship Programme" in the Bawku Municipality, Garu, and Bongo Districts in the Upper East Region and the West Mamprusi District in the Northern Region.

The programme seeks to improve transitions and retention of girls who have lost their parents and those who were generally poor. He said 818 girls have benefited from education materials this month and this is done yearly. Mr. Adabre, who is also the Regional Coordinator of the Bongo District, said for the past seven years the programme had supported over 21 students who have completed universities and training colleges. He said the programme had decided to add some boys who have equally lost their parents and their educational career are in jeopardy. 22 April 11