Adukrom-Ashanti, March 10, GNA - The Board of Trustees of the Endowment Fund of the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) is to donate readers estimated at about 5,000 dollars to 10 schools in deprived areas in the country.

Professor A.A. Adimado, Member of the Board, who announced this said over the next five years a school in each of the regions would benefit from the scheme.

He was presenting quantities of reading books donated by the Fund to the Adukrom Primary and Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in the Ahafo-Ano South District on Thursday.

The donation was in line with its objective to give prizes for outstanding performance by candidates in examinations conducted by the council.

Adukrom JSS became a beneficiary of the scheme by placing first in the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) for 2005 in the District.

The school made a tremendous improvement in the examination as it moved from 32nd position with 4.4 per cent passes in 2004 to the first position with 94.4 per cent passes in 2005.

This represented an increase of 90 per cent over that of 2004. The assembly had earlier donated a colour television set to the school in acknowledgement of its excellent performance.

Professor Adimado said the decision to donate the books to deprived schools was also informed by the Chief Examiner's report on candidates performance in English Language over the years. He said the council therefore, was optimistic that with donation of reading books to schools, pupils would easily cultivate the culture of reading.

Mr Agyemang Duah Sylvester, Headmaster of the school lauded efforts of the pupils to attain greater heights on the academic ladder, but blamed parents for not supporting their children. He said out of the 19 candidates presented for the 2005 BECE, 17 of them gained admission to senior secondary schools but only six were currently in school.

Mrs Belinda S. Addo, Ashanti Regional Director of Education advised the teachers to ensure the books were judiciously used. She cautioned the teachers against keeping the books away from the children with the excuse that they might damage them. 10 March 06