Tepa (Ash), April 05, GNA - Parents in the Ahafo-Ano North District have appealed to the government to absorb the printing cost of examination questions in basic schools.

This, in addition to the Capitation Grant they said, would free parents completely from the payment of fees at the basic level. They made the appeal at the People's Assembly held at Tepa, the district capital, on Tuesday.

They, however, praised the government for its policies and programmes, especially the introduction of the capitation grant, the planned NEPAD school-feeding programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Nana Adusei Atwenewaah Ampem I, Omanhene of the Tepa Traditional Area, appealed to the government to consider upgrading the Tepa Secondary School as one of the model schools to help solve the numerous problems it faced.

He said the school, which was established in 1971, has a student population of about 1,651 with 58 masters but it lacked adequate classrooms, dormitories for boys and girls, accommodation for masters, transport, sanitation facilities, administration block and others. Nana Atwenewah Ampem said in spite of assurances from the education authorities following discussions, nothing had been done. He said due to the strategic location of the school it could absorb most of the junior secondary school pupils in the district and elsewhere who qualify to enter secondary schools.

Nana Kwame Ntim, Omanhene of Manfo Traditional Area, thanked the government and the Department for International Development (DFID) for the five billion cedis it had provided for the construction of the Akwasiase-Asuhyiae road.

Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, Defence Minister, said the People's Assembly concept was to allow the public to made their views known to the government on the good things it had done and what still needed to be done.

Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of Communications, said the government's policies and programmes were targeted at the holistic development of the country and not meant to win votes and attract public praises.