By Dennis Peprah
Chiraa (B/R), Dec. 10, GNA – Mr Osei Nketiah, the Headmaster of Chiraa Model Basic School has advised parents to support the government’s efforts for the provision of free but quality education in the country.
He said though the government had invested much to provide free basic education, parents ought to augment such efforts by helping to create a more conducive atmosphere for effective teaching and learning in basic schools.
Mr Nketiah said it was the responsibility of parents and guardians to endeavour to provide their children and wards with basic learning materials and other compelling needs of particularly girls to sustain their interest in schools.
The headmaster gave the advice when he was speaking at a durbar of parents, teachers and students to climax the 10th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the school held at Chiraa in the Sunyani West Municipality under the theme, “Providing Quality Education through Discipline and Hard Work.”
Mr Nketiah indicated quality education remained expensive, saying the government alone could not shoulder such responsibility, hence the contribution of parents and guardians.
He enumerated some problems including lack of electricity, ICT laboratory, potable drinking water and inadequate classrooms confronting the school and appealed for support, particularly for the extension of electricity to the school.
Mr Nketiah said enrolment continued to increase, thus putting pressure on the few classroom blocks, bemoaning that as a result the Kindergarten classes were being held under trees.
He, however, expressed appreciation to the Rotary Club International, the Ghana Cocoa Board and the Sunyani West District Assembly for their assistance to the school and pleaded with them and other stakeholders for more support towards the progress of the school.
Mr Nketiah also appreciated the contributions of Barima Minta Afari II, the Chief of Chiraa for his immense contributions that had brought the school to its current status, saying, “our school will forever be grateful to you Barima Minta.”
“We are also grateful to the Parents-Teacher Association, teaching and non-teaching staff as well as all and sundry who have in diverse ways contributed to the growth and development of the school’s advancement”, he stated.
Established in September 2012 with only 48 children, Mr Nketiah said with support from stakeholders, the school’s population was now 425 with 21 teachers, adding that the school had performed excellently in successive Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), scoring 100 percent for the past seven years.
He said discipline, God fearing, and academic excellence remained the hallmark of the school, and called on everybody to come to their aid to tackle pertinent challenges confronting the school.
GNA