Inadequate infrastructure hampers quality education in Upper West

Wa, May 7, GNA - A total of 508 classes in basic schools in some communities in the Upper West Region are held under either trees or make-shift structures and this has been identified as one of the major obstacles to quality education in the region.

A document prepared by the Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service and presented at the annual review workshop of the education sector in the region at Wa on Monday, revealed that 317 classes in primary schools in the region are held under sheds and 79 use the shade of trees as classrooms.

At the junior secondary school level, 23 classes are held under sheds with the shade of trees serving as the abode for five others, while 42 kindergartens hold classes under sheds and another 42 under trees.

The two-day workshop, which brought together all stakeholders including District Chief executives, representatives of non-governmental organizations and private schools in the region served as a platform to share information across districts, to strengthen educational management at both regional and district levels.

Discussions focused on equitable access to education, quality education, educational planning and management, Science, Technology and Technical and Vocational Education, Partnership programmes and financial performance.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Sports organized the workshop in collaboration with the United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF). Out of a total of 2,719 trained teachers required for schools in the region, it came to light that there were only 1,659 trained teachers with the Jirapa/Lambussie District recording the largest shortfall of 229 trained teachers and Wa Municipality requiring the least of only 42 trained teachers.

Mr David Yakubu, the Regional Coordinating Director who opened the workshop, said in organizing such capacity building forums, inter sector linkages were necessary since sectors like agriculture and health could not be divorced from policies targeted at promoting quality education. He said although high coverage and wide spread of schools had not brought quality education, the quality of pupil/teacher contact during school hours was not the best and that had also contributed immensely to the lowering of educational standards.