Accra, Sept. 14, GNA - Government is rolling out a programme to provide classrooms for about 1,400 schools that are holding classes under trees throughout the country as part of a special exercise in the next three yeas.

The provisions of the classrooms for these schools identified two years ago, according to Papa Owusu Ankomah, Minister of Education, Science and Sports, was in addition to the Government's infrastructural programme for basic education.

Speaking at the meet-the-press series on Thursday in Accra, Papa Owusu Ankomah said the Government on pilot basis would also supply some exercise books free of charge to children in selected basic schools in some districts nationwide in an effort to deepen the provision of fee-free education to children in such schools.

He said these packages had been necessitated by the implementation of the capitation grant introduced to cover all children in public basic schools, which had caused tremendous improvement in the enrolment statistics.

He said during the 2005/2006 academic year alone, the Government spent 129.446 billion cedis for about 4.3 million pupils at the basic school level at 30,000 cedis per head.

He said for now, the Government would maintain the 30,000 cedis per pupil under the capitation grant despite calls by heads of schools that it was inadequate.

Government, he said, would rather introduce printing machines in all 138 districts to enable schools print their own examination papers to cut down cost.

The conference was used to address concerns of the newly introduced Computerised Schools Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) and to announce the celebration of "My First Day at School Festival", which is to be marked on Tuesday September 19 when the 2006/07 academic year begins.

The Festival instituted last year is to be celebrated this year under the slogan "Mama fa me ko skuul" (Mother send me to school) to welcome new entrants to primary one in an effort to make their first day experience at school, a truly memorable one for them. Papa Owusu Ankomah noted that the festival sought to fulfil a component of the objective of the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) to improve access, participation and retention of children in school.

"All over the world, the first day at school is a well-celebrated event. It is a celebration that aims at not only welcoming new pupils to the world of formal education but also one that encourages communities to get more involved in their schools."

The Minister urged all Ghanaians to be part of the festival and go out to welcome the new pupils to class one.

He asked teachers to teach these new children the values and beliefs about what was important, right, good and desirable. "We must also instil in them the spirit of patriotism, nationalism and voluntarism right from their first day at school in order to ensure for them a better future after their formal education."

He also called on parents to assist in providing some of their basic needs towards the development of the child both at home and in school.

Papa Owusu Ankomah also announced that work on all 31 selected model schools in the country would be completed and inaugurated by the end of the year to enable students to access quality education in their own communities.