By Samuel Ofori Boateng, GNA
Manso-Nkwanta (Ash), Aug. 24, GNA – Mr Yakubu Sampa, the Manager of Tony 1 Educational Complex at Manso Datno in the Amansie South District, Ashanti region, has expressed grave concern over persistent pupils’ and students’ absenteeism, linking it partly to illegal mining activities (galamsay) in the area.
He said the regular absenteeism of some school children was negatively affecting teaching and learning in the area.
Mr Sampa noted that the situation was particularly worrying on Fridays, when teachers sometimes reported to classrooms only to find only half of the students present in class.
He said the growing attraction of young people to galamsey activities was making it difficult for some school children to remain committed to their education.
Mr Sampa made the remarks at the school’s third graduation ceremony, speech and prize-giving day, held on the theme: “Celebrating Achievement, Inspiring Futures; Honouring Our Graduates; Building Tomorrow’s Leaders Today.”
He urged the pupils and students to prioritise their education and resist the temptation to abandon their studies for the immediate financial gains associated with illegal mining.
“Education is important for your future, so you must make it your priority and not allow galamsey activities to take you away from the classroom,” he said.
He also appealed to parents and guardians to take keen interest in the education of their wards, by ensuring that they attended school regularly and remained focused on their studies.
Mr Sampa further identified the poor road network in the area as another major challenge confronting the school.
He said the school sourced most of its goods and essential supplies from Kumasi, but the poor condition of the roads made transportation difficult and expensive, as it sometimes placed additional financial pressure on the institution.
Mr Sampa therefore appealed to parents to bear with the school whenever there was a need to increase school fees to meet rising operational and transportation costs.
Mr Felix Yeboah, the Headteacher of the school, appealed to the government to extend educational support to private schools through the provision of teaching and learning materials.
He said private schools were making a significant contribution to education delivery in Ghana and should be considered whenever the government distributed educational materials to educational institutions nationwide.
Mr Yeboah specifically mentioned mono desks, textbooks, computers, and other teaching and learning resources as some of the items needed to improve the learning environment.
He said extending such support to private schools would help improve teaching and learning and enable them to complement the government’s efforts to provide quality education.
The Third Graduation Ceremony also provided an opportunity for the school to recognise the achievements of its graduating students and outstanding pupils, while encouraging them to pursue further education and contribute positively to the development of their communities and the country.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/ Christabel Addo