General News of Wednesday, 21 July 2004

Source: GNA

World Bank commits $32 million to basic education

Ajumako (C/R), July 21, GNA - The World Bank has offered a 32 million-dollar loan to the Government to facilitate the implementation of a Pilot Programme Scheme (PPS) to improve basic education.

Reverend Ama Afo Blay, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), who announced this at Ajumako in the Central Region, on Tuesday said the PPS, would give technical and financial support to the beneficiary schools.

She was addressing a five-day workshop on the PPS, organised by the GES for 140 stakeholders.

Rev. Blay said lack of basic facilities in a number of schools was undermining national efforts to achieve education for all by 2015. She cautioned the workshop participants not to misapply PPS funds, explaining that, the success of the scheme depended on them. Rev. Blay said the GES would sign a performance agreement with district directorates listed to benefit from the PPS and to spell out their specific responsibilities.

She urged them to take full advantage of the workshop to improve upon their budgeting skills.