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23.07.2009 Education

Catholic Church commended for role in Ghana’s education

23.07.2009 LISTEN
By gna

Konongo (Ash), July 23, GNA - Mr Kofi Opoku Manu, Ashanti Regional

Minister has commended the Catholic Church for its role in promoting

education in the country.
He said the Church had over the years contributed immensely to the

education sector through the establishment of schools most of which have

produced prominent Ghanaians for national development.

The regional minister said this at the inauguration and fund raising ceremony

of Saint Mary's Girls Senior High School at Konongo.

The event, which was on the theme: "Girl Child Education, an Invaluable

Asset to National Development", was aimed at raising funds to improve on

facilities in the school that was established in 2007.

Mr Opoku Manu, who is also the chairman of the Board of Governors of

the school, urged the authorities of the school to work hard to surmount the

problem confronting them.
He lauded the Church's decision to establish girls' school and said it was in

line with government's objective to promote girl-child education.

He said government was pursuing a comprehensive plan to enhance

education from the basic to tertiary level saying premium would be placed on

girl child education.
Rev. Fr. Dr. Paul Attah-Nsiah, Vicar General of the Konongo-Mampong

Diocese said the establishment of the school was informed by the Church's

aspiration to develop the girl-child concept in Ghana and Asante Akim North

Municipality in particular.
He said it was in fulfillment of a resolution during the Church's recent

centenary celebration to serve the dual purposes of addressing an urgent need

in the catchments and as a monument for the celebration.

The Vicar General noted that gender discrimination had kept most young

girls out of school, forcing others into early marriages against their wishes.

"The girl child needs to be freed from such mental shackles and provided

with a new orientation and disposition through quality education", he stated.

Mrs Comfort Amponsah, headmistress of the school said the school lacked

facilities such as library, science laboratory as well as teachers'

accommodation and called on stakeholders to help address the problem.

She further urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) to expedite the

process of absorbing the school into the public sector system to enable them

enjoy government assistance.
GNA

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