Agona Swedru, June 10, GNA - The United Nation Children Education Fund (UNICEF) has presented 16 bicycles and five tricycles worth 25 million cedis to the Agona District Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to promote girl-child education.

Mrs Vida Odoom, Assistant Director of Education in-charge of Finance and Administration, speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Swedru, said 16 girls selected from remote areas and five physically challenged girls benefited from the donation. She said the bicycles would help the girls who walked long distance to and from school to prevent absenteeism.

Mrs Odoom warned that the Directorate would not hesitate to collect the bicycles back from the beneficiaries if the girls became pregnant or played truancy. She appealed to the Non-governmental organisations and well-meaning citizens from the area to donate generously towards girl-child education, adding that, books had to be donated to stock school libraries to promote education.

The Assistant Director of Education urged communities to get actively involved in educational issues to solve problems to improve academic standards. She urged parents to live up to their responsibilities and ensure the education of their children especially the girl-child. Mrs Odoom said Directorate has initiated a programme aimed at educating parents and development partners to assist girl-child education in the district.