The Presiding Member of Tain District Assembly in the Brong Ahafo Region, Madam Lilian Serwaa, has appealed to stakeholders in education to assist to reduce the high rate of girls dropping out of education due to poverty. She noted that this had led to an increase in the rate of teenage pregnancies as the girls solicit for assistance from men. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Nsawkaw, Madam Serwaa called on NGOs and philanthropists to assist the assemblies to support girl education since most parents were poor and could not adequately provide for their daughters. Madam Serwaa expressed concern about the high incidence of HIV/AIDS in the area as most of the unemployed girls also engaged in prostitution. She said the assembly would establish an educational task force to sensitise the communities on the importance of girl education and encourage teenage mothers and dropouts to return to school. "A special fundraising programme would be organized to launch teenage mothers' education campaign and the proceeds used to support those willing to return to school," she said. The Presiding Member advised parents to give equal attention to the education of their sons and daughters to enable them occupy responsible positions in society in future. Madam Serwaa noted that in spite of continued education against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) the practice existed in some parts of the district and warned that the assembly would ensure perpetrators were prosecuted. Source GNA