pregnancy

Atobiase (W/R) Sept.16, GNA - The Mpohor Wassa East District, in the Western Region, is initiating a byelaw that would impose a fine of 20,000 cedis on parents who allow their children to loiter or attend social functions after 2100 hours. In addition the offending children would be given six lashes. Mr Edward Tawiah Amprofi, the District Chief Executive made this known when he commissioned two solar electrification projects for Atobiase and Akutuase community clinics on Wednesday at the cost of 71 million cedis. He said the measures were aimed at checking the rising number of teenage pregnancies in the area and check the falling standard of education.

Mr Amprofi said another another byelaw is being proposed to reduce the salaries of teachers who absent themselves from school without official permission. He said although the District Assembly had provided 50 new classroom blocks and renovated existing ones, "Ironically these efforts... have no impact on teaching and learning and education standards continue to fall." Mr Amprofi said 12 out of the 13 Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in the District scored zero per cent in the Basic Education Certificate Education. Dr. Kwaku Karikari, District Director of Health services called for effective involvement of the communities in the management of the clinics.