Hohoe, March 30, GNA - Basic schools in the Hohoe District have experienced a 10 percent enrolment increase after the disbursement of the Capitation Grant amounting to 824.7 million cedis. Enrolment figures soared from 33,145 pupils at the close of the 2004/2005 academic to 36,334 pupils in October 2005 when the 2005/2006 academic year commenced.

Mr John Hobenu, the District Director of Education, told the GNA in an interview that the amount disbursed so far constituted 79.3 percent of the total amount due the district.

He said 126 primary and 86 junior secondary schools in the district are benefiting from the scheme.

The District Education Director said the grant was received in two instalments with the second, 399.9 million cedis received on January 25. He said Saint Francis Demonstration School at Hohoe received the highest grant of 5.5 million cedis for 503 pupils while Leklebi-Dafor Local Authority JSS with a student population of 19 received the lowest of 209,152 cedis.

At the Primary School level, Have EP Primary A/B with 690 population collected 5.4 million cedis as the highest and the lowest grant going to Fodome-Ando, which received 99,072 cedis for its nine pupils. Mr Hobenu said 424.8 million cedis was disbursed as the first instalment last year with Hohoe EP JSS receiving 5.4 million cedis for 424 pupils while Leklebi-Dafor again got the lowest of 179,442 for 14 pupils in the JSS category.

Have EP Primary A/B topped in the primary level and received 8.8 million for 689 pupils while Fodome-Ando got the least of 102,538 for its eight pupils.

Mr Hobenu said the increased enrolment had brought pressure to bear on school infrastructure and suggested a programme for expansion of school facilities including furniture. He said Head teachers were complaining of additional administrative and accounting duties with teaching which is burdensome. The Director said key school activities like examination, which was not factored into the capitation grant, should be revisited, as parents were unwilling to pay for the service. Mr John Peter Amewu, Hohoe DCE, said the capitation grant was an effort by government to increase enrolment and reduce the financial burden of parents.

He warned that school authorities who flouted the scheme by charging undue levies would face the rigours of the law. 30 March 06