Education system is creating class society

Mamfe-Akuapem (E/R), Sept. 26, GNA- The Chairman of the Akuapem Presbytery, Rev. Charles B. Ahwireng, has observed that the current grading, selection and placement of students in the higher institutions was creating a class system in the country.

He said "currently, depending on the basic school that a child attends in Accra, the entry of that student into the university becomes easier, while children born and educated in deprived communities find it difficult to enter Senior Secondary Schools (SSS).

The chairman said even when a child from the deprived communities managed to "break through" to qualify to the SSS, by the placement system, such a child was not allowed to do subjects of his or her choice.

Rev. Ahwireng was speaking at the Open Day and inauguration of a corn-mill for the Mamfe Presbyterian Junior Secondary School (JSS), which it won for being the best Basic School in agriculture in the Akuapem North District during the 2002 National Farmers Day celebrations.

The corn-mill was provided at a cost of 22.5 million cedis, by the Akuapem North District Assembly and the community.

Rev. Ahwireng called on teachers in public schools to look for those things, which attract some parents to prefer some private schools to public ones and implement those policies to make public schools also attractive.

He appealed to the District Assembly to provide financial support to brilliant but needy children to assist them to complete their education.

Rev. Ahwireng called on the government to return the management of mission schools to them, explaining that such development could help promote healthy competition among the schools and raise the standard of education in the country.

The Akuapem North District Chief Executive, Dr. (Mrs) Eugenia Dankwa-Quist, advised heads of schools hit by natural disaster to inform the District Assembly for the necessary support.

She called on the people to register with the Akuapem North District Health Insurance Scheme to enable them to enjoy the benefits. The District Director of Education, Hajia Mahama Katumi, called on teachers to improve the performance of children in schools at the basic level.

In a welcoming address, Headmaster of the School Mr Edward Osei Agyemang, said since he took over about four years ago, discipline and academic standards had improved tremendously, adding that the school would produce many students with aggregate six in next year's