Agona Swedru, June 7, GNA- Nana Yamfo Asuako XI, Chairman of the Parent Teacher Association of Swedru Secondary School (PTA), has appealed to the striking members of the National Association of Graduate Teachers Association (NAGRAT) to consider the interest of their students and return to the classroom.

He also advised parents of the final year Senior Secondary School (SSS) students not to take advantage of the strike action to encourage any examination malpractices during the forthcoming SSS Certificate Examination (SSSCE).

He said there was rather the need to encourage their children to study hard during such crucial moments. Nana Asuako was speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the Association.

He appealed to the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Parliamentary select- committee on Education and other stakeholders to resolve the impasse.

He noted that the monthly allowance of 10,000 cedis for headmasters and their annual medical allowance of 25,000 cedis was woefully inadequate and should be seriously reviewed to motivate them to work hard to improve the country's academic standards. Nana Asuoko said the PTA contributed 50,000 cedis per head to fund a 10-unit classroom block at the cost of over one billion cedis. Mr E.K.T Osam, Headmaster said academic work was going on smoothly despite the NAGRAT strike action because most of the teaching staff are not members of the association.

He said out of the 382 students who sat for last year SSSCE, 305 qualified to enter the tertiary institutions. Mr Osam warned against indiscipline in the school saying 24 students mostly final year students had been suspended for misconduct.