The president John Evans Atta Mills has given the assurance the government would tackle all problems militating against effective education delivery in the country. According to him, a national forum would be instituted to discuss the implementation of the new education policy which increased second cycle education to four years. The NDC as part of its campaign promises pledged to revert to three years, the duration of Senior High School if voted into power, but critics say, the move amounts to toying with the country’s education. At his first Sessional Address to Parliament since assuming office on January 7, the President noted concrete proposals from the national forum would ensure effective second cycle education in the country. The president also gave the assurance that the school feeding programme, a brainchild of the Kufuor administration, would be reinvigorated to benefit the most deprived in the society. He pledged government’s continued support for tertiary education and expressed the hope that the private sector will assist in that endeavour. “Government would ensure a proper utilisation and accounting of the GETFund,” he said, adding that allowances of teachers would be paid promptly. In the realm of Sports, the president minced no words, in his unflinching desire to develop the 'lesser known sports'. Being a hockey player and fanatic, the president said the government would assist the Ghana Hockey Association in the organisation of the Hockey Nations Cup in Ghana later in the year. The president has also set his sights on a semi-final appearance by the Black Stars in the 2010 World Cup and pledged government would assist the Ghana Football Association to meet that aspiration. Story by Nathan Gadugah