Government urged to review GETFUND

Takoradi, July 9, GNA - The Reverend Robert F. Sackey, Principal of the Jabez College of Education, Thursday stressed the urgent need for the government to review the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) to enable more private schools to benefit from its grants.

He said without such assistance, private education in the country would continue to be expensive and defeat the goal of reducing illiteracy and poverty among the people.

Rev. Sackey was speaking at the 16th Graduation Ceremony of the school at Takoradi.

He said government should assist distressed private schools to enable them to complement its efforts at meeting the increasing demand for higher education.

Rev. Sackey said that it is unrealistic to describe proprietors of private schools as "shylocks" because of their programmes to upgrade infrastructure of their schools.

He said determination; handwork and discipline should be the hallmarks of the new graduates wherever they find themselves. Rev. Isaac Botchway of the Christian Faith Church advised the students to be ambassadors of the school wherever they find themselves, adding, "Your newly acquired skills should transform your personality and make you contributors to the growth of the economy of Ghana". He advised the graduates to be time conscious, work efficiently and to avoid stealing, lateness to work and insubordination. Master Jerome Kissi, outgoing school prefect, called on the Parent - Teacher Association (PTA) of the school to motivate the teachers to give off their best.

He said, while discipline had improved greatly among students, the activities of hawkers, intruders and livestock on the school campus were a nuisance to academic work.

In all, 77 graduates were presented with certificates for completing various courses including stenographer, accounting, marketing and business studies.

Miss Felicia Quaicoe and Miss Barbara Haizel, who were adjudged the overall best in the secretarial and accounting students, were presented with special prizes.