Nkawie (Ash), May 18, GNA - Mr Charles Oti-Prempeh, Ashanti Regional School Health Education Programme (SHEP) Co-ordinator, has observed that the programme can only have meaningful and the desired impact in schools if adequate funds and logistics were allocated to it. The Ghana Education Service (GES), he said, should not only depend on donor agencies for the funding of the programme but also include it in its budget to ensure sustainability in the future.

Mr Oti-Prempeh, who is also the African Youth Alliance (AYA) Co-ordinator in the region, said this at a meeting with circuit supervisors and other staff of the Atwima district education office, including the guidance and counselling and girl-child education co-ordinators at Nkawie on Monday.

The meeting formed part of the Regional Co-ordinator's monitoring of SHEP and AYA activities in the promotion of health education and adolescent reproductive health in the Atwima district.

Mr Oti-Prempeh said circuit supervisors and other district education staff have crucial responsibilities to support SHEP co-ordinators to conduct regular and effective screening of pupils in the classrooms to identify hidden diseases for prompt treatment.

He implored teachers to promote adolescent reproductive health status of school pupils and also encourage parent-child communication and counselling in schools and the communities.

This, the Co-ordinator explained, would help the pupils plan properly and also make informed decisions for brighter and promising future. 18 May 04