Wa, Sept. 9, GNA - Mr. Bannerman Mensah, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has said cultural education was a major concern of the sector ministry.

He said people who had handed over their culture to their younger generation had succeeded in building strong and prosperous nations. Mr. Mensah was addressing school children at the closing ceremony of the 11th Basic Schools National Festival of Arts and Culture in Wa on Tuesday. He said cultural education should not be seen from the entertainment perspective alone, but it must also be seen as having a bearing on social, academic and educational issues which affected the people.

"Culture is the heart beat of nations. Unfortunately in our haste to develop Ghana into a modern technological society, we have relegated our culture into the background, and rather emphasised issues of modern economic, scientific and technological development," he said. He tasked cultural education coordinators to monitor and direct the effective teaching of culture in the schools, by organizing workshops and seminars for teachers, school communities and other stakeholders. Mr. Mensah commended government for increasing the capitation grant from GH¢ 3.00 to GH¢ 4.50 to help promote sports and cultural activities.

"We must maintain and make use of our progressive cultural practices, customs and values, to help us in developing our nation," Mr. Mensah said.

He urged teachers to teach children to develop their natural skills and explore their potentials to meet the challenges of national growth and development. Central Region will host 2010 edition of the festival in Cape Coast.