Wa, May 12, GNA - The VALCO Trust Fund on Tuesday donated science and home science equipment valued 139.5 million cedis to some educational institutions in the Upper West Region.

Lassie-Tuolo, Vlo, Tumu and Piina Senior Secondary Schools and the Saint Francis Xavier Junior Seminary at Wa each received science equipment costing 99 million cedis.

The Islamic Senior Secondary School at Wa, Nandom Senior Secondary School and Saint Francis Girls Senior Secondary School at Jirapa, received home science equipment.

Additionally, each of the three educational institutions had gas cookers, a deep freezer, a refrigerator, a blender, dry and steam irons and sewing machines all valued 40.5 million cedis.

Brigadier Geofrey Guomil (rtd), a member of the Board of Trustees of VALCO, presented the items on behalf of the Fund at Wa. He reminded the public that disbursement of funds by the Board was based on requests made to it by individuals and educational and health institutions but said priority was always given to deprived people and institutions.

Brig. Guomil (Rtd) advised individuals and institutions that would request for VALCO assistance to do so through district or regional heads.

Receiving the equipment on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Godfrey Bayon Tangu, Wa Municipal Chief Executive, commended the Fund for its contribution to the development of education in the country. He, however, appealed to VALCO to provide more science equipment to schools to encourage students to study science and asked: "How do we get doctors to man our hospitals when our young ones are running away from science subjects?"

Mr Tangu noted that tourism was becoming a major source of revenue for the country, and advised male students to study home science, which according to him contributed to the development of tourism and not to consider the subject as exclusively for females.