Mumford (C/R), April 25, GNA - The Mumford Education Committee, in conjunction with the Mumford Council of Elders, has put in place measures to help improve education standards in the town. The measures include payment of special levies, provision of accommodation to motivate teachers, ban of school children from the street after 2000 hours and at the beach during school hours and rehabilitation of dilapidated school blocks and construction of a library.

The Very Reverend Emmanuel Churcher, the Chairman of the committee, said parents have agreed to contribute 500 cedis a day for their wards in the junior secondary school and 300 cedis for the primary towards the organization of extra classes.

He said that the measures were instituted in view of the bad performance of children from the town in the 2004 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

Addressing the meeting on Sunday Dr Joseph Mankro, an executive member of the committee, said it was identified at the meeting that lack of interest in education and poverty among parents were contributing factors to the fallen standard of education. He said that parents were made to understand that education is an investment like any other business, which if properly invested could yield dividends.

Meanwhile an Education Endowment Fund has been launched to support education in the town. Children who would excel in the BECE would be taken care of by the fund.