The Member of Parliament (MP) for Amenfi Central in the Western Region, Joana Gyan Cudjoe, has supported over 3,000 fresh students entering Senior High School (SHS) with educational materials.

The materials included chop boxes, trunks, mattresses, buckets, books and pens, forming part of the MP’s Back-to-School project.

Though the programme was designed for people of Amenfi Central, it was extended to parts of the Western and Western North Regions, including Tarkwa, Prestea and Asankrangwa (ASANCO).

The Ashanti, Greater Accra and Upper West Regions, among others, were also not left out, as beneficiaries from these areas travelled to access the MP’s educational support initiative.

According to the lawmaker, the initiative aimed at easing the financial burden on parents and guardians to ensure students transition into second-cycle education a little easier.

She described the experience as one that touched her "heart deeply" considering the level of need among parents and children she witnessed.

"Our Back to School support programme was organised to help first-year SHS students in Amenfi Central, and seeing the number of parents and children who came was both overwhelming and emotional. We had people coming not only from Amenfi Central, but from Amasaman, Prestea, Tarkwa, Asankrangwa (ASANCO), other parts of the Western Region, Western North, Ashanti Region, Accra, Wa, and other places I did not even know about.

"Some parents travelled long distances because they wanted their children to receive educational support. At some point, the number of people became much bigger than we had planned for, and unfortunately, the crowd became difficult to manage. But when I watched some of the videos afterwards, I honestly cried," she said.

According to Madam Gyan, this left her crying because she experienced something bigger than the programme itself.

"I saw the level of need among our parents and children. It reminded me that education is one area where we must continue to do more," added the MP.

The MP pledged to continue investing in the future of children, indicating that education in the country should be a top priority for all persons.

Some of the beneficiary parents and students expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the MP for the gesture, stating that the support would go a long way to relieve the burden of preparing for their SHS journey.

They promised to take advantage of the support items and study hard to make the MP and the constituents proud and become responsible citizens in the future to help the area’s development.

For her part, the District Director of Education for Amenfi Central, Rev. Mrs Ann Konadu, entreated the SHS entrants to take advantage of the opportunity presented to them to pursue their secondary education and take their academic work more seriously.

She, however, warned them about the company they keep on campuses, stressing that allowing bad influences would not only hinder their academic progress but could also lead them into social vices.