Talensi Nabdam District Directorate of Education lacks office

Tongo (U/E), Sept 19, GNA - Poor office accommodation is affecting the smooth running of administrative functions of the Talensi-Nabdam District Directorate of Education in the Upper East Region. This has forced the District Directorate to convert a three- classroom building into offices for the Director and teaching staff and that in turn is affecting the enrolment of school children as there are no classrooms for new pupils, Mr. Francis Ayaba, District Director, told the GNA in an interview.

Mr. Ayaba said school enrolment had increased but lack of infrastructure was making it difficult for schools to cope with the number.

He said the district had about 32 junior high schools and 63 primary schools but the number is inadequate and that there was the need for about 17 more JHS and 28 primary schools. Mr Ayaba said another problem was lack of accommodation for teachers and added that this was the cause of the high rate of teachers leaving the district.

He said as a result of the flood that hit the district in 2007, most of the schools in the area had their roofs ripped off, affecting teaching and learning especially during the rainy season. Mr. Ayaba appealed to the district assembly, the two Members of Parliament for the area, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and philanthropists to assist the directorate to address some of its problems.

He commended World Vision, Afrikids Ghana, Link Community Development and the chiefs in the area particularly the Paramount Chief of the Tongo Traditional Area, Naba Sabulg-Nemalteng, for contributing to the development of education in the district. Mr Ayaba said despite the numerous challenges facing the District Directorate of Education, the students who sat for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for 2008 performed creditable. The district placed 60th among all the districts in the country and was 5th among the districts in the three northern regions.