Jirapa MP provides SHS prospectus items to 1,196 fresh graduates

The Member of Parliament for Jirapa, Cletus Seidu Dapilah, has provided essential Senior High School (SHS) prospectus items to 1,196 fresh graduates across the municipality. The items—comprising over 1,000 student mattresses, 1,000 metal trunks, 1,000 buckets, 1,000 mathematical sets, 12,000 exercise books, and pens—were distributed directly to eligible first-year students and parents at a ceremony held in Jirapa. On the first day of the exercise, 659 registered beneficiaries walked away with their complete student packages, while a designated distribution depot has been established to cater to candidates awaiting late placement. The intervention addresses a chronic socio-economic challenge in the Upper West Region, where the financial burden of purchasing boarding house items frequently forces young junior high school graduates into dangerous ventures to raise money for school.

Addressing the gathering, Cletus Seidu Dapilah explained that his motivation stemmed from his professional background as a classroom teacher who has witnessed first-hand how material deprivation undermines academic performance. “I am a teacher myself, and I have spent time in the classroom. I understand the challenges our teachers and students face,” Hon. Dapilah remarked. “I have seen how difficult it can be for a student who lacks the basic items needed to participate effectively in school. ” Quoting Nelson Mandela’s adage that education remains the most potent weapon to change the world, the lawmaker charged the students to look beyond their impoverished backgrounds and focus on high aspirations. “These items are not simply gifts; they are a reminder that your community believes in you. Do not look at where you are coming from and conclude that you cannot achieve greatness. Look instead at…