Tongo (U/E), March 8, GNA- The spectacle of pupils studying under trees, overcrowding in classrooms and others lying on their stomach to write would soon be consigned to Talensi-Nabdam's folklore, Mrs. Vivian Anafo, District Chief Executive (DCE), has said. We have taken notice of the state of despair and congestion in schools in the area. We are drawing up modalities to successfully tackle the problem once and for all.

Mrs. Anafo who stated this during the 53rd Independence Celebration held in Tongo the District capital explained that the Assembly had instituted pragmatic measures to systematically provide classroom blocks to decongest the over crowded ones.

She however stated that the exercise could not be realized over night and indicated that it would require time, financial and human resources as well as patience and commitment, stressing "I wish to assure you that the Assembly will pursue this plan and not renege on its promise". The DCE expressed concern about certain negative cultural practices of the people in the District that hindered Girl-Child Education. "It was on record that whereas enrolment of girls at primary school was always high, the figures begin to drop when they go to higher levels as some were forced into marriage by parents or dropped out because of pregnancies". Mrs. Anafo appealed to parents not to withdraw their female children from school for marriage and indicated that knowledge acquired in scholarship was crucial to womanhood.

She commended teachers in the District for their hard work and assured that Government had plans to provide more incentive packages for them. The DCE also challenged Civil Servants in the District to work hard to propel the development of the District and the nation forward. She entreated them to be disciplined, make sacrifices and self devotion just as exhibited by the fore bearers of the Nation who fought hard and in some cases lost their lives to win Independence for the country. She appealed to the chiefs and people in the Gold mining areas in the District to allow peace to prevail to pave way for the development. Mr. Francis Ayaba, the District Director of Education, announced that his outfit would soon receive 16,000 exercise books under the Government free exercise books policy to be distributed to schools in the District. He revealed that in an effort to improve teaching in the District, a good number of teachers have undergone in-service training to sharpen their teaching skills.

He advised school children to avoid attending funerals, festivals, Markets among others at the expense of their studies saying, as future leaders, they needed to concentrate on their studies to enable them contribute efficiently to national development in future.