Ho, July 17, GNA - Ms Happy Tsifokor, Ho Municipal Coordinator of Private Schools, on Saturday, described teaching and learning in private basic schools in the Municipal area as very poor.

She attributed the situation to inadequate teaching and learning materials and infrastructure.

Ms Tsifokor said this at the 10th Anniversary celebrations of God’s Divine Academy Preparatory School in Ho.

The anniversary was on the theme, “Education as a divine key to success.”

Ms Tsifokor said on her usual inspection of private schools in the Municipal area, she observed that most schools lacked adequate teaching and learning materials and infrastructure.

She said some pupils and students were accommodated in unventilated classrooms, where no effective teaching and learning could take place.

Ms Tsifokor said the situation was greatly affecting teaching and learning and urged owners of private schools to redeem their image and make their schools a place for building solid academic foundations for pupils.

She asked them to improve on their facilities and make teaching and learning conducive for academic work.

Mr Michael Dordzie, Volta Regional Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS), in a speech read on his behalf, said the poor teaching and learning situation could be due to government’s discrimination against pupils in private schools in the distribution of teaching and learning materials.

“Pupils and students in private schools are not given free exercise books and free school uniforms. Discrimination in any form must be stopped because children in private schools are also Ghanaian children,” he said.

Mr Japhet Buamah, an Officer at the Municipal Education Office, on behalf of the Municipal Director, urged private schools to shift focus from reading and writing subjects to technical subjects.

He also urged them to admit children with special needs and aid their integration into society.