Apam (C/R) March 13 GNA- The Gomoa District Assembly, Department of Social Welfare and the district directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) have jointly formed a task force to ensure that parents sent their children to school. Mr Wallace Acheampong, the District Social Welfare Officer, said this when addressing a children forum, organised by the International Needs Ghana, an Accra-based non-governmental Organisation (NGO) at Apam on Monday.

He said video centres would not be allowed to operate during school hours (0800 hours and 1400 hours) to prevent children from patronizing the centres. Mr Acheampong urged parents to send the children to school reminding parents that education at the basic level was free and compulsory. Nana Boateng Appenteng, Assistant Project Officer of the NGO, said it had identified eight fishing communities within the Gomoa District and two in the Effutu-Senya District where child labour was prevalent. He cited Abrekum, Mankoadze, Nyanyano, Gomoa Akyemfo, Apam Mumford, Dago, Gomoa Fetteh, Winneba and Senya as some of the communities. Madam Beatrice Lokko, Gomoa District Director of Education, appealed to parents to ensure that their children completed their education.

Needy children at the function were provided with books and school uniform and enrolled in basic schools and vocational training centres at the expense of the NGO.

The NGO also presented exercise books, story books, mathematical sets and pencils worth about GHc500.00 to schools and students who took part in the drama and the poetry competitions at the function. The needy children dramatized the importance of education instead of fishing at a tender age using drama, poetry recitals and songs.