Asamankese, Feb. 6, GNA - A 513-million cedi West Akyem District library has been inaugurated at Asamankese. The District Chief Executive, Mr. Kwabena Sintim-Aboagye in his inaugural address said the idea of setting up the library was to improve upon educational standards in the district.

He said the main idea behind the project was to encourage children to read and write well and also to encourage them to use their leisure hours profitably by patronizing the library and not to be seen roaming the streets.

The DCE said the need for the library became more pressing when the results of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) proved that the West Akyem District had been among the lower ranks in the national league table of schools for the last two years. He noted that, further analysis of the results showed that about ten schools in the district actually recorded zero in the BECE examination last year.

It became imperative therefore that, that worrying trend was reversed and some practical steps quickly taken to improve education in the district.

Mr Sintim-Aboagye said the District Assembly continued to provide the needed educational infrastructure for accelerated growth in education.

He said within the past two years, the assembly had used about 35 per cent of its share of the common Fund to undertake the construction of some classroom blocks and continued to provide more classroom blocks in the communities.

The DCE said last year, the assembly assisted the Ghana Education Service with ten million cedis towards the organization of Science, Technology and Mathematics Education programme and another ten million cedis to conduct the district mock examination for basic schools. Mr Sintim-Aboagye said the assembly had also offered scholarships to 19 students to pursue courses in masonry, engineering, computer literacy and other vocational skills at the youth leadership Institutes at Takrowase and Afienya.

He said the assembly in collaboration with the member of Parliament for Lower West Akyem constituency, Mr James Apietu-Ankrah presented awards to ten students from Asamankese Secondary, Adeiso Secondary and St. Thomas Secondary Schools who excelled in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination.

Mr Sintim-Aboahye said the Assembly was also sponsoring 50 teacher trainees in various Teacher Training Colleges every year to be posted to teach in the district.

He said the assembly had registered 133 youths as teacher education assistants under the Youth Employment Programme and posted them to teach in the rural parts of the districts.

The DCE on behalf of the assembly expressed thanks to the Americans, Mr Kirt Bromley and his wife Hilda for their assistance to the library, especially by their donation of a large quantity of books.