FREE UNIFORMS FOR 1,409 SCHOOL CHILDREN (PAGE 11, MAY 3, 2010)

Schoolchildren in three districts in the Eastern Region have benefited from the government’s free school uniform programme.
The uniforms would be distributed to 1,409 schoolchildren in deprived public basic schools in the Akyemmansa, Kwahu North and Upper Manya Krobo districts.
The uniforms were handed over to the three beneficiary districts, which are described as the most deprived among the 21 districts in the region.
The initiative is being implemented on a pilot basis in fulfilment of the government’s promise to provide free school uniforms to deprived schoolchildren across the country.
Handing over the items, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, expressed the hope that the school uniforms would boost the morale of the beneficiary pupils to study hard and motivate them to stay in school, and pointed out that “it is the hope of government that social interventions such as the provision of free school uniforms will bring a lot of relief to poor parents".
Mr Ofosu Ampofo announced that the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) would soon receive another 43,000 pieces of school uniform materials, which would be distributed to all the municipal and district assemblies in the region.
"With this consignment, every municipal and district assembly will receive 2,000 pieces, which are already in pre-cut pieces," he said.
He, therefore, called on municipal and district chief executives to help identify local tailors and dressmakers who would help in sewing the school uniforms.
He added that with education as a top priority, the government would soon construct about 4,000 new school buildings for schools that organised classes for their pupils and students under trees, due to lack of infrastructure.
"As part of this initiative, each of the 21 districts in the Eastern Region is to benefit from the construction of three new school buildings which will provide conducive environment for teaching and learning," he said.
Receiving the items, Mrs Kate Agyeman Badu, who represented the Eastern Regional Director of Education, Mrs Rene Boakye-Boateng, thanked the government for the gesture.