Ministry gives directive to Assembly Members and GES

Akim Oda (E/R), Oct. 2, GNA - The Minister of Education and Sports has directed all District Directors of the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Assembly Members to compile and submit the number on roll of all school children in basic schools latest by October 15, this year. The Sector Minister Mr Yaw Osafo Marfo, who gave the directives at the Ordinary Meeting of the Birim South District Assembly at Akim Oda on Friday, explained that the move was to enable the government know how much capitalization grant to be paid to each school. He warned that any district that failed to comply with the directive at the given dead line wouldforfeit the second instalment of the school fees for its schools.

Mr Osafo announced that 47.5 billion cedis, representing 50 per cent of the amount earmarked for payment of the school fees had already been paid.

The Minister, who is also the MP for Akim Oda further, disclosed that by 2007, all kindergartens would become part of the basic school system and therefore, called on district assemblies to ensure that kindergartens were established in every community. Mr Osafo Marfo promised to award ten scholarships to brilliant but needy JSS students in the district to further their education to senior secondary school level, as well as 20 scholarships to others for skill training.