Accra, July 20, GNA- Mr Yaw Osafo Marfo, Minister of Education and Sports on Wednesday urged the Japanese government to deepen its long-standing cooperation and support with Ghana in the areas of science, mathematics and technical education.

He lauded Japan as Ghana's single largest bilateral donor with keen interest in the development of science and mathematics, citing the assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Mr Osafo-Marfo who was speaking at a meeting with the Japanese Ambassador, Mr Masamichi Ishikawa in Accra, said Japan would be the key ally in the implementation of Government's White Paper on the educational reforms programme.

He said Government's objective was to strengthen technical and vocational education.

The Minister said there were plans for the establishment of model technical schools in all the regions to facilitate polytechnic education and the development of a human resource base with knowledgeable skills. " We therefore need to make our tertiary education more competitive and we count on Japan as a key partner in our development reform to chart this course."

Mr Osafo-Marfo said it had not been easy for other development partners to understand the need to strengthen and support tertiary education.

He said the Millennium Development Goals had placed emphasis on the need for every child of school going age to be educated.

Mr Masamichi said contributions to Ghana through Japan's cultural grant Aid were in the areas of education, culture and information. He said his country had provided physics and chemistry equipment to the University of Ghana worth 46,200,000 Japanese yen.