Ayerede (B/A), Dec 1, GNA - Three students who were successful out of 28 students of the Junior High School at Ayerede who took part in this year's Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) cannot enter senior secondary schools because their parents cannot afford.

The boy and two girls are now loitering in the streets of the town and the District Director of Education, Madam Philippa Banson, moved by the plight of the students, has called for the establishment of an education endowment funds in communities to support such students. She appealed to assembly members, school management committees and executive members of Parent/Teacher Associations to visit schools to confer with teachers and students to know their problems and assist in addressing them.

Madam Banson said this at a PTA meeting at Ayerede aimed at assessing the dismal performance of the final year students in the examination. She expressed regret at the inability of parents of the three successful students to support their children to enter Senior High Schools. "The establishment of community educational endowment funds will help solve such problems so needy students can further their education", she said. Mad Banson appealed to NGOs, philanthropists, well-to-do individuals and religious bodies to consider the plight of the three students and assist them to further their education. Mr. Leopold Siekaa, the Headmaster of the school, said indiscipline among the students was affecting their education, saying truancy and absenteeism were common practices. He said parents had lost control of their children who "are often seen in the streets in the night and attend video shows and dances". Mr. Siekaa called on parents and opinion leaders in the community to collaborate with teachers to initiate measures that would enhance discipline in the school to bring improvement in their academic performance. Nana Appiah Boahen, regent of the area, urged unit committee members in the area to convene a meeting of the community to enact bye-laws to check social vices among the youth. He advised parents to monitor the movements of their children to steer them away from negative practices and attitudes that would affect their future. 01 Dec 10