Sekondi, October 28, GNA- Mr Philip Kwesi Nkrumah, Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Chief Executive, on Tuesday, charged the Metropolitan School Management Committee (SMC) to adopt a strategy aim at improving teaching and learning in schools in the area. Inaugurating a 12-member SMC in Sekondi, he said the bulk of the Metropolitan Assembly's financial resources are invested in education and sanitation.

Mr Nkrumah said, the assembly is not reaping the expected results from the investment.

He said this should be the concern of the SMC as well since it would exercise supervision over 200 basic schools in the area. Mr Nkrumah said the assembly has received many applications for scholarship offers following the release of this year's results of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and this shows parents are finding it difficult to finance the education of their children. He said it is unfortunate that some children are dropping out of school because of financial constraints of their parents adding that the Assembly is doing its best to assist as many applicants as possible. Mr Nkrumah urged the SMC to come up with suggestions on how to address the problem.

He cautioned members of the SMC against using their positions to take over the running of schools.

Mr Crosby Annan, acting Metropolitan Director of Education, who swore-in the members asked them to help check teacher absenteeism. Mr George Appiah, Coordinator of Community Alliance Project, explained that the project aims at mobilising communities to support quality teaching and learning in schools.

He said the project forms part of the Quality Improvement in Primary Schools Project (QUIPS), which is designed and sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).