He said education is the bedrock of development and the nation stood a very bright chance to leapfrog its development efforts if all citizens had some level of formal education.

With a lot of people not having gained formal education, Mr Stevens, who is also the MP for Jaman North, agreed in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), to team up with the religious bodies in the Constituency to organise adult literacy classes for the people in Sampa.

Mr Stevens, an educationist, and the immediate past Chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education, and past President of Student Representative Council at the University of Education, Winneba, said when a lot people, especially women are formally educated, the nation stands to benefit.

He commended the government for introducing the Free SHS programme and called on all qualified students to take advantage of the programme and get enrolled.

Mr Stevens said the development of skills needed for accelerated national development becomes a challenges when less than 17 per cent of people go to university.

Government, he said, intends to make education, not only at the basic level available to all, but one that would ensure the application of practical skills, and ICT for all.

He said: "The redefinition of Basic Education would include Senior High School, where there would be free access to education and a change in curriculum.

"It will not be the case of 'chew and pour, pass and forget,' but the application of knowledge for personal development and industrial progress.

He said poverty and lack of opportunity has prevented people from accessing formal education, and gave an assurance that Government would ensure that adult education would be given the needed boost in the Jaman North Constituency.