EFFORTS AT IMPROVING EDUCATION DELIVERY (PAGE 11, AUGUST 11, 2010)

THE Northern Region is spending over GH¢26 million on project expansion to improve the delivery of education in its senior high schools.
The project involves the provision of dormitories, kitchens and dining halls, classrooms, staff accommodation and other facilities for the various second-cycle schools.
The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba, disclosed this when he addressed the maiden meeting of the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) in Tamale.
The meeting, which was attended by heads of institutions, members of the security services, local government authorities and traditional authorities, was convened by the RCC to discuss the state of development in the region.
The minister said under phase one of the SHS infrastructure project, twenty 6-unit classroom blocks were being constructed for 20 schools at an average cost of GH¢270,500 per project.
When phase two takes off, similar classroom blocks will also be constructed in 12 other SHSs, he added.
Mr Mabengba again mentioned that fences were to be constructed to provide security for the Tamale Girls and Ghana Senior High Schools, with an additional provision of security lighting for the former.
He said a new senior technical high school was being established at Yagaba in the West Mamprusi District, “which would involve the construction of an administration block, library, workshops, classrooms, staff accommodation, kitchen and dining”.
The minister said education was one of the critical pillars the RCC was building to drive the development of the region by lifting the people out of poverty.
“We believe that through education, we can empower our people to work and earn realistic incomes and contribute positively to the development of the region,” he stated.
The Northern Regional Director of Education, Mrs Elizabeth De-Souza, noted that though some progress was being made, a lot more needed to be done to improve the quality of education in the region.
She said the lack of teachers continued to pose a challenge to the delivery of education and hinted that a number of voluntary teachers had been enrolled to undertake professional teachers training course to upgrade their skills.
The director entreated the district assemblies to devote more resources towards sponsoring the training of teachers who would serve their areas upon completion.
She observed that districts that were in dire need of teachers were rather those that were adamant to sponsor the training of teachers.