The Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr John Alexander Ackon, has praised teachers and pupils in the Municipality for emerging as the overall best in the national ranking of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) since 2004. "In 2008, the Municipality placed second to the Amansie Central District but we worked harder to reclaim the first position in style in 2009", he said. Addressing a parade of school children at the Len Clay Stadium to mark the 53rd Independence anniversary, the MCE advised the pupils and students to be disciplined in whatever they did, noting that discipline is the pre-requisite to achieving success in life. He spoke of the government's commitment towards reducing the burden on parents in the education of their children and said it was on the basis of this that school uniforms and exercise books were being distributed freely to school children. Touching on the theme for this year's anniversary celebration, "Investing in the Youth for a Better Ghana", Mr Ackon said the future of the nation depended on the youth and therefore it was important that they were properly groomed to take up the task ahead. "It is important that we devote maximum attention to the education of the youth. As you know, the world is at the moment driven by knowledge and technology, the more knowledgeable the people are, the faster we develop", he said. Mr Ackon gave the assurance that government would not depart from the interventions it had initiated to help majority of Ghanaian children to have access to quality education so that the country would have the required skillful manpower base, A total of 37 basic and second-cycle institutions participated in the parade. Source: GNA