Nkoranza (B/A), March 15, GNA- The Nkoranza district education directorate has organized a two-day training workshop to equip about 120 teachers with knowledge in different culture, music, dancing and drama. Mr. Jarvis R. Agyeman-Badu, district director of education called on the participants to attach great importance to the teaching of sports and culture to promote the health of students and whip up their interests in cultural studies.

He expressed regret about the attitude of some youth to adopt foreign cultural practices and look down on indigenous cultural values, saying it was high time the trend was discouraged "as our culture distinguishes us from others".

Mr. Agyeman-Badu suggested the re-introduction of puberty rites, known as "Bragoro" to promote good health among young girls to protect them against early sex and other social vices.

Mr. Jacob Felix Amoah, Brong-Ahafo Regional Education Cultural Co-ordinator explained that culture "is not only drumming and dancing" and that it involved the total way of life of an individual.

The manner in which one interacts with others or speak in public and the way of dressing and even eating depicts one's culture, he said. Mr. Amoah emphasized that culture was not fetish as some people think but rather distinguished one group from others and called on the teachers to encourage students to take interest in learning the country's culture through music and dancing.

He urged them to give equal attention to the teaching of the subject to promote the country's cultural values.

Mr. Eric Kenneth Ampong urged the participants to organize cultural activities in their schools and to tap the wealth of knowledge about culture from the elderly so that they could in turn help the youth to develop their interest in culture.