Construction of an examination printing centre to serve as a central point for printing of examination questions for schools in the Obuasi Municipality has begun with a call on the contractor to deliver quality work. The GHC 2.4 million project is expected to bring some relief to parents who would no longer have to pay printing fees for their wards upon the completion of the project in the next four months. Funded by AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine under its 10-year Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP), the facility comes with a printing and production, storage, changing and washrooms. It is the second to be built by the company with a similar facility already under construction in the Obuasi East District as part of its corporate social responsibility in host communities. ‘We are excited about the construction of the exams printing centre, which highlights our dedication to enhance accessibility and efficiency of exams preparation for students in the Obuasi Municipality,’ Mr. Jacob Edmund-Acquah, Senior Manager, Projects Services and Business Improvement of AngloGold Ashanti, said at a ceremony. He said the expectation was that the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) pass rate in the Municipality would move from 94 per cent to 100 per cent after the construction of the centre coupled with the other educational interventions. ‘By investing in education infrastructure, we are not only contributing to enhancing the development of Obuasi but also nurture the talents and potential of our students,’ he said. Mr. Edmund-Acquah said the printing centre was one of many infrastructures in the education sector being funded by the company and mentioned a plethora of completed and on-going projects. He said the company had also sponsored the training of over 500 teachers to sharpen their teaching skills while providing teaching and learning materials to public schools this year. Mr. Elijah Adansi- Bonah, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), applauded AngloGold Ashanti for providing what he described as a significant intervention for schools and parents in the Municipality. He said the Assembly had been printing BECE mock papers for schools over the years at huge cost and welcomed the intervention with gratitude. The MCE pledged the Assembly’s commitment to set aside a budget dedicated for the running of the centre annually. Mr. George Koomson, the Municipal Education Director, commended AngloGold Ashanti for addressing one of the perennial challenges confronting schools in the Municipality.
Source: Ghana News Agency