Koforidua, Aug. 21, GNA - Mrs Angelina Baiden-Amissah, the Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports, has said curriculum being used in schools had not promoted cultural, political and patriotic awareness among the youth.

She said the curriculum did not encourage the realization of the country's independence and African personality.

Mrs Baiden-Amissah said this had necessitated the introduction of citizenship education in the curriculum of the new education reform to make the youth to be proud of the country's rich cultural heritage. This was contained in a speech read on her behalf at the opening of the 10th Basic Schools National Festival of Art at Koforidua on Monday.

The five days' festival was organized under the theme "Culture, a tool for peaceful co-existence", and was attended by pupils from basic schools from all regions in the country.

Mrs Baiden-Amissah advised the youth to always think about what to do to grow up to become useful citizens and resist the temptation of drifting to the urban areas to copy ideas that would not promote their well being.

The Director of Education for Basic Education of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mrs Victoria Donkor, called for more attention to be given to cultural education in schools so that it would have more meaning and also impact positively on children.

She appealed to teachers who handle culture education to demonstrate their commitment in the approach they use to present cultural lessons in the classroom.

The National Co-ordinator of Cultural Education, Mr Freeman Agure, called for allocation of motorbikes to district cultural officers to enable them to travel to remote areas to monitor the impact of cultural education on schools.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, said the inclusion of culture in the district assemblies' common fund and the capitation grant confirmed the importance that the government attached to the development of culture in schools.