Accra, Sept. 13, GNA - The Ministry of Education, Sports and Science on Wednesday donated 34 Tata buses each valued at 59,000 dollars to the five public universities and selected second cycle institutions in the country. Each of the five public universities - University of Ghana, Legon; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi; University of Cape Coast; University of Education, Winneba and University of Development Studies, Tamale received two 35-seater buses each while 22 senior secondary schools got a bus each. The remaining two buses would be given to schools to be determined later.

Papa Owusu Ankomah, Sector Minister, who commissioned the buses, said the Government was interested in providing resources to educational institutions to enable them to train quality human resource.

"Since 2001 the Government has embarked on a policy to provide resources to educational institutions to enable them to go on field trips and excursion to broaden students' knowledge," he said.

He said giving buses to schools, especially day schools, would also make it possible for students to be conveyed to and from school.

Papa Owusu Ankomah said the Government was particularly interested in assisting deprived schools with buses to help students' movement to and from schools since distances had caused many students to lose interest in them. He said the buses for the public universities would be used to take students to and from their hostels and lecture halls since some students in the universities lived far from the campuses.

The Minister announced that within the next few months buses would be presented to special schools since they needed help most. He expressed the hope that the buses would be properly maintained by school authorities and urged Heads of the schools to desist from using the buses for their own private purposes.

Mr Michael Nsowah, Acting Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, expressed gratitude to the Government for the gesture and promised that they would maintain the buses regularly to prevent frequent breakdowns. 13 Sept. 06