Regional News of Thursday, 23 December 2004

Source: GNA

SMCs must be strengthened

Nkawie (Ash), Dec 23, GNA- Mr Richard Owusu-Agyemang, the Atwima District Community Participation Co-ordinator (CPC), has called for strengthening of institutional capacity of School Management Committees (SMCs) in order to assess the performance of schools.

Mr Owusu-Agyemang was speaking on the topic: "The School and community Relationship" at a durbar of teachers at Nkawie in the Atwima-Nwabiagya District on Wednesday.

It formed part of the District Education Directorate's Educational Improvement Programme.

Education is a social enterprise demanding efforts and contributions from all stakeholders, he said.

Mr Owusu-Agyemang, who is also an Assistant Director of Education at the Atwima District, said the Ghana Education Service (GES) was committed to building a systematic approach to assisting community organisations to play a major role in education.

He said this would help the communities to engage in consultations with the school authorities, manage projects and take part in planning. He called for mutual respect, trust, regular interactions, tolerance, transparency and consensus building between the schools and the communities.