Tamale, March 1, GNA – Stakeholders of education on Wednesday called on the government, to increase the intake of teacher-trainees as a matter of necessity to ensure that all schools are furnished with professional teachers.

Making the call at a dialogue meeting in Tamale the stakeholders comprising directors and principals of education and pupils from the Northern, Upper East and Upper Regions expressed dismay that the country for more than 15 years had maintained the annual quota of 9,000 teachers.

The meeting noted that until the quota of teachers are increase to fill all vacant classrooms and teachers are motivated to teach in remote places, the quality of education the country is demanding would be a mirage.

The dialogue meeting was organised by the Volunteering Service Overseas (VSO), a non-governmental organisation as part of a five-year project which is being implementing under the Tackling Education Needs Inclusively (TENI).

TENI seeks to achieve systematic change in education by improving transition, completion and quality of basic education for disadvantaged children.

Alhaji Mohammed Haroon Cambodia, West Mamprusi District Director of Education said the district had more than 600 vacancies for teachers.

He said most of the teachers found in the district were non-professionals whose impart leaves much to be desired and also refuse postings to remote areas.

He said teacher’s availability, deployment and retention were very key to quality teaching and learning that would promote the standard of education to give more meaning to the development of the sector.

Mrs Lucy Awuni, Deputy Upper East Regional Minister urged district assemblies to institute mechanisms such as provision of accommodation for teachers to motivate them to give off their best in the classroom.

She suggested the need for the educational authorities to punish teachers who refused to accept postings to remote areas.

She called for community involvement in the education of children whilst the pupils must also take their education seriously to become responsible citizens in future.

Mr Eric Duorinaah, Project Co-ordinator of TENI of the VSO said the project was reaching out to about 48,000 children mostly very poor girls in the three northern regions.

It is supporting the management of 271 education managers and training of 2,000 teachers.

He said the project is adopting varied approaches involving multi-stakeholders who will play active roles to ensure that the target of the project was met.