Deputy Minister tours schools

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs. Lucy Awuni on Tuesday toured a number of schools in the Bolgatanga Municipality to joined pupils in observed "My First day at school". The toured offered an opportunity for new pupils to be welcomed and encouraged to attend school at the beginning of a new school year. The Deputy Regional Minister was accompanied by the Municipal Chief Executive for Bolgatanga, Mr. Edward Ayagle and officials of the Municipal education directorate. At the Durugu Primary School, a total of 113 newly admitted primary one pupil comprising 56 boys and 57 girls reported for school. Welcoming them, the Deputy Regional Minister urged the teachers to create a good atmosphere for the children since it was only through that that the children will be motivated to come to school regularly. Drinks and concessionaries were distributed to the newly admitted students to motivate them. In a related development, AfriKids Ghana, a child rights organization working in Upper East to alleviate child suffering and povertya has distributed 210 pairs of footwear to pupils of the school. The donations were made possible by a United States based footwear manufacturing company, TOMS SHOES as part of their social responsibility to provide shoes to children in many developing countries, who walk barefoot for miles to school. The gesture is to prevent children from injury, infection and soil-transmitted diseases The Director of Programme, Mr. David Pwalua said the gesture extends schools in communities in the NGO’s operational area in the region including, Bolgatanga, Talensi-Nabdam. Bongo and Kassena Nankana West districts “We believe that this is supposed to be the beginning of a brighter future for all the children. In the past, efforts were not made to ensure that children came to school on the very first day. We are working together with the community leaders and education campaigners to ensure that children are in school and stay in school. He expressed the hope that the gesture will go a long way to encourage the children to stay in school, learn hard and become responsible adults in future. -End-