Inchaban (W/R), July 11, GNA - Mrs Angelina Baiden-Amissah, Deputy Minister of Education and Sports, on Friday called on teachers to give off their best to complement government efforts to improve basic school education.

She made the call at the first Circuit Schools' Awards Day at Inchaban, near Sekondi during which 45 teachers were presented with awards. Mrs Baiden-Amissah said teachers should provide the necessary improvisation, where resources were inadequate and classrooms were overcrowded to raise educational standards. She said the government is determined to provide quality basic education and was fully aware of some of the constraints facing the sector.

Mrs Baiden-Amissah said the government has invested a lot in education through human resource development in distance education, improved infrastructure, provided textbooks and teaching and learning materials. She said a lot was being done to improve educational access and participation for the child and school health education; guidance and counselling were also enjoying support for their promotion. Mrs Baiden-Amissah said, "Having provided all these opportunities, facilities and resources, the effective use, management and supervision of both the human and material resources provided become the next challenge".

She said, "I be lieve the front line managers and supervisors of basic schools would accept the responsibility to face this challenge". Nana Kwabena Osei Nketsia, the Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Director of Education said the standard of education in the metropolis was generally declining.

He said Inchaban and Shama were some of the areas experiencing this trend and measures were being put in place to reverse this. Nana Nketsiah said Inchaban had 44 per cent pass in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2002, 39 per cent pass in 2003 and 36 per cent pass in 2004.

He said teachers in the area should be motivated to encourage others to accept postings to the area.