Inadequate facilities, cause of school drop-out rate - Educationist

Oblogo (GA), June 29, GNA - The Ga West District Director of Education of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mrs Victoria Opoku has expressed concern about lack of adequate educational facilities in the District, which had contributed to the school drop-out rate in the area.

She said it was the duty of the Assembly to assist needy communities to improve its educational standard through the provision of school structures and teaching materials, but lack of resources had retarded its progress.

Mrs Opoku, who was addressing teachers, parents and school children at Oblogo in the Ga West District on Wednesday at a forum dubbed, "Open Day Celebration" urged communities to assist the teachers by providing them with accommodation to enable them become committed when executing their duties.

She said quality teaching was not the responsibility of teachers alone, but also parents and the communities, therefore, there was the need for them to supervise their wards when they come home. The Member of Parliament for the area, Miss Shirley Ayorkor Bothcwey, in a speech read for her by Mrs Patricia Dovi Sampson, of the Ministry of Information, said the increase in the number of schools within the education system, in response to growing population make it difficult for government to provide all the needs for our schools.

She said the government alone could not improve education and appealed to organisations to contribute to the development of the sector.

Miss Bothchwey said, self-help spirit is an important element where relatively deprived communities wish to acquire the basic amenities that would help to improve their quality of life.

She urged the District Assembly to ensure that the youth are not deprived of the facilities to acquire basic education to equip them to play meaningful role in the society.

The District Chief Executive of Ga West, Mr Quartey Papafio, said lack of commitment and dedication of some teachers are the basis of poor educational standards in the area, adding that a sponsorship package would be instituted by the Assembly for any teacher who would excel.

Nii Kwaku Bibini III, Chief of Oblogo, who chaired the function, allocated 10 plots of land for the construction of a new school block at Oblogo.