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The management of the Lawra Health Assistants Training School in the Upper West Region has been urged to add the study of French to its curriculum. The Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Abu Kasangbata, who made the call, said the strategic location of the school and its proximity to Francophone countries implied that any conscious efforts at getting students of the school to study French would come in handy for the sake of communication. �The school is also in a better position to make the region and by extension, Ghana the destination for health tourism from our neighbouring countries,� he said. He, therefore, entreated the Ghana Health Service to consider incorporating French lessons into the curricula of all health training institutions since a fair working knowledge of French by health workers would be of great advantage. Addressing the third matriculation ceremony of the Lawra Health Assistants Training School at Lawra at the weekend, Mr Kasangbata observed that the choice of most students for a career was increasingly being determined by how handsome a profession�s remuneration was and not necessarily by their competence and interests. He was of the view that if care was not taken, this development would have the potential of creating excess labour force in some sectors and a deficit in other critical but poorly remunerated areas in the long-term. He said, additionally, the development could also result in low productivity as would -be professionals would not have their jobs at heart and that was not healthy, hence the need for good counseling and guidance. Mr Kasangbata ,therefore, urged parents, as well as stakeholders to collectively encourage their children to pursue courses based on their competence and aspirations since this would ensure holistic and sustained development for the country. He observed that the Lawra district had produced quite a number of health workers but just like other districts in the region, only few have remained in the district to contribute their quota to health service delivery. He implored the matriculants, especially those from the region to endeavour to stay upon the completion of their course. Mr Kasangbata urged the Lawra District Assembly to sponsor more students to health training institutions after which they should be bonded to serve in the district. The Principal of the School, Alhaji Abdul Rafiu Agboolah, complained of lack of facilities particularly lecture halls, a library and accommodation for tutors. He, therefore, appealed to the government to come to the aid of the school which he described as an emerging institution in the Upper West Region. He announced that an introduction of diploma programme would soon start since proposal for that was being studied for approval . A matriculant, Miss Stella Aatuakuu, on behalf of her colleagues, promised that they would be of good behaviour during their two � year stay on campus.