Kwahu Tafo (E/R), Nov 4, GNA - Mr Alex Tetteh-Enyo, Minister of Education, on Monday said community and stakeholder participation in expanding educational facilities in various communities across the country was very important to achieve quality education.

He said Government had initiated the process of expansion in the senior high schools and would need the partnership of various groups and the community at large.

Mr Tetteh-Enyo said this at the commissioning of a six unit classroom block of the St Joseph's Technical Institute in Kwahu Tafo. He said education remained the life-wire for and development of the local communities and that particular attention had to be given to that sector to achieve the needed development in the country.

Mr Tetteh-Enyo said the classroom blocks would help reduce congestion in the various classrooms, as well as allow the school to admit the first year students for the 2010/2011 academic year.

He said government would continue to ensure universal education for all to ensure that irrespective of whatever circumstances, no Ghanaian child would be denied quality education.

He commended the board and staff members of the Institute for their hard work and commitment to ensuring the continuity of academic work "in these hard times," and urged students to strive hard to acquire knowledge, skills and attitude in order to have brighter futures.

Mr Samuel Asamoah, District Chief Executive of Kwahu East, said educational infrastructure in the District since the middle part of 2009 had been unprecedented, adding that the Assembly with the support of government had embarked on the massive development of educational infrastructure comprising classroom blocks and sanitation facilities.

Mr Asamoah said the capacity of the country to address youth unemployment and eradicate poverty largely depended on technical and vocational training, adding that the District Assembly would continue to address the numerous challenges facing the educational sector with the support of central government and development partners.

He called on both students and staff to take advantage of the facility to excel in academic and practical performances to justify the need for continuous support from government and the assembly.

Mr Baffour-Awuah, District Director of Education for Kwahu East, said the rate at which teachers resigned from schools in the District gave cause for concern and called on government to provide teachers with accommodation, especially in the deprived areas.

He also called on staff and the student body to ensure that the classroom did not deteriorate in a short time as a result of misuse, vandalism and the lack of maintenance.

The Principal of the school, Mr. Joseph Amoah, express appreciation to government for assisting the institute over the years and called on government to equip all technical schools with modern equipment to facilitate teaching and learning of technical subjects.