New Edubiase (Ash), Jan. 19, GNA - The Ghana Book Trust (GBT) and the Canadian government have donated 20 million cedis to the Adansi East district education directorate for the education of teachers and pupils in the district on HIV/AIDS.

Mr M. Twumasi Amponsah, the District Director of Education, who made this known, said the money would enable the district directorate to undertake HIV/AIDS campaigns in schools vigorously. Speaking at a day's workshop on HIV/AIDS for about 130 primary school health educators organised by the district directorate of education at New Edubiase last Friday, he noted that the number of children being infected with the disease was on the increase. He said if a lot of attention was not paid to the children now, the pandemic could wipe out the future leaders who form the country's manpower resources.

Mr Amponsah advised the teachers to set good examples by their lifestyles for the pupils to emulate. He commended the GTB and Canada for donating the money and said it would be put to very good use. Mr Osman Adjei, Ashanti Regional Co-ordinator of GTB, admonished teachers to encourage their pupils to read materials on good health, especially materials on HIV/AIDS during their library periods since it is only through reading that the pupils can get the correct information on the disease. He gave the assurance that the GTB will continue to support the district education directorate to organise HIV/AIDS programmes for pupils in the district since they are "the window of hope" for the country.

Mr Peter Kwasi Mensah, the District School Health Co-ordinator, urged health teachers to educate the children on the need to attach importance to health activities. He also asked teachers to use at least 15 minutes of their time daily to educate their pupils on the effects of HIV/AIDS on them and how it could cut short their lives if they indulged in early and uncontrolled sex. Mr Mensah, who is also the Adansi East Focal Person on HIV/AIDS, asked the health teachers to form anti-AIDS and virgin clubs in their schools to educate the pupils on the importance of living sex-free lifestyles.