ANYINAM, E/R- The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Atiwa East Constituency in the Eastern Region, Abena Osei Asare, has supported more than 200 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) graduates in the constituency with Senior High School (SHS) prospectus items and cash to assist them in their transition to secondary education.
Each beneficiary received essential items contained in the SHS prospectus, together with GH¢1,000 in cash, to help ease the financial burden on parents and guardians.
The initiative is aimed at helping students from less-privileged backgrounds acquire the basic necessities required for their SHS education, particularly at a time when many parents are struggling to meet the increasing cost of education.
The items distributed included trunks, student mattresses, provisions, chop boxes, among other essential supplies.
The educational intervention forms part of efforts by the MP to improve educational outcomes in the Atiwa East Constituency by supporting brilliant but financially disadvantaged students to pursue their secondary education without undue financial challenges.
Speaking at the event held at Anyinam, Madam Abena Osei Asare commended parents and teachers for their support and commitment to the education of the beneficiaries, which contributed to their successful completion of the BECE.
She assured teachers in the constituency that their hard work would be recognised, announcing that plans were underway for a Teachers’ Awards programme to honour outstanding educators in Atiwa East.
The MP also commended the Atiwa East District Education Director, Miss Pearl Lionel Acquah, for her dedication and efforts in ensuring that the district receives its fair share of educational logistics and materials.
Madam Osei Asare said the support was intended not only to ease the financial burden on parents but also to equip the students with the resources they need to become responsible and successful members of society.
She encouraged the beneficiaries to work hard, excel in their studies and, in the future, return to the community to support other young people.
MP RAISES CONCERNS OVER SHS PLACEMENT
Touching on the recent challenges surrounding the Senior High School placement process, Madam Osei Asare expressed concern about the difficulties being faced by parents and students.
She questioned claims surrounding the number of students who had reportedly failed to secure placement and called on the government to take immediate steps to address the situation.
“Is it because the government has stated its intention to end the double-track system by 2027 that it is using some unfair tactics to deliberately deny children access to Senior High School education?” she asked.
She appealed to the government to review the situation and find an urgent solution, stressing that education remains critical to the development of the nation.
DISTRICT EDUCATION DIRECTOR COMMENDS MP
The Atiwa East District Education Director, Miss Pearl Lionel Acquah, expressed gratitude to the MP for her continued support for education in the district.
She also commended parents for their dedication to the education of their children, noting that many had made significant sacrifices to give their wards a better future.
Miss Acquah, however, cautioned parents to continue guiding their children against negative influences and behaviours that could undermine their future.
She urged parents to advise their wards to reduce the time they spend on mobile phones and watching television and instead devote more time to their studies.
According to her, both parents and teachers in the district had worked hard during the academic year, and their efforts had yielded impressive results.
She revealed that some students in the district recorded single-digit grades in the BECE, results which are often associated with students in urban areas.
Miss Acquah encouraged the beneficiaries to remain focused on their education and avoid bad company in their respective schools.
She urged them to remain conscious of their family backgrounds and make responsible choices that would enable them to achieve their educational and career aspirations.
PARENTS EXPRESS GRATITUDE
Some parents of the beneficiaries expressed their appreciation to the MP for the gesture, describing it as timely and significant.
According to them, the support would help reduce the financial pressure on families who were already struggling to provide the numerous items required for their children’s SHS education.
They thanked Madam Abena Osei Asare for the intervention and appealed for the initiative to be sustained to benefit more students in the constituency.
