Rural Children Must Have Equal Access To Quality Education Lands Minister.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources who doubles as the mp for Ellembele constituency, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has stressed the need for children in rural communities to have equal access to quality education as their counterparts in urban areas.
He said the long-term objective should be to create conditions where children from rural communities could progress through the educational system and gain access to universities and other tertiary institutions.
He made the remarks when he commissioned two three-unit classroom blocks constructed at Mandugbane and Atabebo in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region.
The two communities previously had no Junior High School facilities, compelling children to travel several kilometres to access JHS education.
The projects were constructed by the Ellembelle District Assembly through its Internally Generated Funds and the District Assemblies Common Fund.
Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah commended the initiative, saying investment in deprived communities was essential to reducing inequalities in education and creating equal opportunities for children regardless of where they lived.
He said communities such as Atabebo had children who previously walked more than four kilometres to access Junior High School, describing the construction of the new facilities as a significant transformation for the communities.
According to him, providing educational infrastructure in rural areas would enable children from such communities to compete meaningfully with children from urban centres.
He expressed optimism that similar projects would be extended to other districts and communities across the country, stressing that development must reach people in underserved areas.
The District Chief Executive for Ellembelle, Hon. Joseph Agyekum, therefore called on beneficiary communities to take ownership of newly constructed school facilities and ensure they are properly maintained for the benefit of future generations.
He said education was a shared responsibility and that although government had the responsibility to provide infrastructure, communities must also contribute to protecting and maintaining the facilities.
A teacher from Mandugbane school Sir Abraham Amoothey said they use the church of pentecost building for thier Jhs and it was very difficult but now that they have a new block, they are really happy about it.
Story by Nana Fynn@W/R.
