Dept. Volta Regional Minister Rev. Johnson Avuletey (in suit), Brig. Gen. Nicholas Kporku(in smock), Regional Director of Education, Madam Enyonam Afi Amafugah the Ho Municipal Chief Executive Hon. Nelson Akorli (green African print), the Ho Dome Circuit Supervisor, Madam Isabela Ayimeh (Extreem end), Reps from Izwe laons(White and black).
By: Daniel Yao Akpabli
SOURCE: ISD/Volta
PUBLISHED BY: The Finder Newspaper
The Volta Deputy regional Minister Reverend Johnson Avuletey, has urged parents to take advantage of the free Senior High policy devoid of politics.
“Free SHS is not about politics. It is about your child’s future” He added.
His comments came during a tour to some basic schools in the Ho municipality as part of the activities to mark the 2019/2020 academic year “my first day in school” programs in the Volta region.
Hon Rev. Avuletey, reiterated the need for parents and other stakeholders to give special attention and care to children in the basic school to ensure a firm foundation in their education.
The Minister who was accompanied by the Regional Director of Education, Madam Enyonam Afi Amafugah and the Ho Municipal Chief Executive Honorable Nelson Akorli, the Regional Municipal health Director Dr. Kwesi Djokoto, the Ho Dome Circuit Supervisor, Madam Isabela Ayimeh, Members from the Ho municipal education and health directorate, visited five Basic schools in the Ho municipality.
The team made their first stop at the Agbokorpe A.M.E Zion Basic School where the Chief and people of Takla-Agbokorpe organized a durbar to mark the day.
The Deputy Volta Regional Minister pledge to support the school with of 50 bags of cement to kick start the school’s infrastructural development project.
The Ho Municipal Chief Executive, Hon Nelson Akorli on his part admonished both parents and teachers against cursing and using other abusive words on the children.
“Even though they cannot express themselves or act today, they shall one day recollect everything we say to them one day so we should be mindful of what we tell them and take a very good care of them” he said.
He advised parent to build a good future for their children by investing in their education.
“Save the little money today for the welfare of your child’s education tomorrow” he cautioned.
The Volta Regional Director of Education, Madam Enyonam Afi Amafugah, said the Ghana Education Service with support from the Ghana health service is carrying out health screening exercise in schools throughout the Region.
The programme according to her has been newly introduced beginning the 2019/2020 academic year with the key objective of ensuring that school children stay in good health for improved academic performance.
She added that, physical examination of these children will go a long way to help the child as well as parent in terms of the health needs of the child and charged all to put hands on deck to ensure this exercise see success.
“This screening is taking place in the entire region and you people of Agbokorpe are fortunate to be the first to take part” she observed.
She also charge parent to take good care of their young ones who are not yet to enroll in school as they are not yet grown to the official age 4 which the Ministry gazette.
Madam Amafugah advised teachers to be punctual and seek official permission before absenting themselves from school or reporting in school late.
She recommended the teachers in all the schools visited for defying the nationwide strike declared by the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) to be present for the programme.
The Circuit Supervisor of the Ho Dome Circuit, Madam Isabela Ayimeh in her comments said the visit was also to enable the team know at first hand challenges facing the various school in order to map out plans to address them.
She thanked Pencil of Promise, an NGO and the Agbokorpe community for their support in improving education in the community and the call on the Education Directorate and the Regional Minister to help construct an 8 unit classroom block to cater for the increasing population the pupils adding that the school also lack furniture, Science and computer lab.
Madam Ayimeh also called for an in-Service training to teachers to get abreast with the new curricula for effective job delivery.
The Member of Parliament for Ho central, Hon. Benjamin Kpodo who made a stopover on his way to a national assignment, also charged the parents to take care of their children as he noted that, tomorrow lies in them.
He advised the parent to make their health a priority by going for a regular medical checkup as well as maintaining good personal hygiene and taking good care of their community.
“Stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse and be responsible. Sanitation should form part and parcel of our lives. When the elderly are doing it, the young ones will emulate” he stated.
The Deputy Minister together with the team also visited and interacted with teachers and pupils of the Ho Airfield M.A School Complex, Freetown M.A Primary School, Ho-Kpodzi EP Basic “B” school and Kabore School all in the Ho Miunicipality.