Nkoranza (B/A), Feb. 6, GNA - Nkoranza Korye Kuo, an Italy based benevolent group has donated 10,500 exercise books to the Nkoranza District Directorate of Education for distribution to junior secondary schools in the district.

Three members of the group, which is made up of citizens of Nkoranza in the Brong-Ahafo Region presented the items, valued at 10.5 million cedis at Nkoranza.

The three, Mr Godwin Mawuli from Busunya, Micheal Yeboah from Bremang and Robert Addai from Ayerede were in the country on a visit. They said the gesture was to augment the efforts of government in providing the necessary facilities for the development of education in the country.

Mr. James Kwabena Appiah-Awuah, District Chief Executive, expressed appreciation for gifts, which he said showed their concern and commitment to the development of the district.

He said the District Assembly was determined to provide the necessary infrastructure to enhance education and called on all stakeholders to support.

Mr. Appiah-Awuah called on other citizens of the area resident abroad to emulate their Italy-based compatriots.

Mr. Kwabena Agyemang-Badu, District Director of Education who received the items noted that there had been a remarkable improvement in the standard of education in the district within the past three years. He said the district's performance in the basic education certificate examination until 2004 was not encouraging, but now Nkoranza district has moved from 34 per cent in that year to 53 percent in last year's examination.

Mr. Agyemang-Badu appealed to teachers in the area not to relent in their efforts to improve the academic performance of students.