NGO spends 1.1 billion cedis on education in UER

Bolgatanga, Oct. 5, GNA - Link Community Development (LCD), a South African non-governmental organisation working in the Upper East Region, has spent over 1.1 billion cedis to promote effective school management and supervision in the Bolgatanga Municipality and the Kassena-Nankana Districts during the past four years.

Dr. Kennedy Qucugrain, Programme Director of LCD (Ghana) disclosed this at a three-day workshop on management and supervision organised by the Ghana Education Service (GES) in Bolgatanga.

Dr. Qucugrain said 924 million cedis was spent on the school development programme in Bolgatanga Municipality and the Kassena-Nankana Districts, with Bolgatanga taking 36 schools, including Gbeogo School for the Deaf.

He said the objective of the workshop included drawing of a district profile, fostering team work in the municipal directorate of education and evaluation of LCD's strength and weaknesses in its five-year mandate in the Bolgatanga Municipality.

Mr. Nebiat Abebe, Research Officer of LCD presented data to highlight the successes of LCD.

Mr. Abebe said with community participation in schools, 90 per cent success had been achieved presently compared to the 1999 baseline where parents were not actively participating in school planning. He said community support for teachers had increased by 56 per cent and Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and School Management Committee (SMC) found to be 40 per cent more effective.

He said quality teaching and learning had improved by 36 per cent in mathematics and English, compared to 20 per cent in 1999. He noted that 90 per cent of schools maintained proper financial records and 100 per cent school development plans. He lauded heads for these achievements in school management.

Mr. Stephen Blunden, Chief Executive of International LCD based in South Africa, announced the extension of the LCD programme to focus on wholistic development of management in the Bolgatanga Municipality through a two-member consultancy, and support for the circuit supervisors at the circuit level.

Mr. Blunden said HIV/AIDS would also feature in LCD's programmes to avoid the catastrophe the pandemic had caused in South Africa and Uganda where many people died.

Mr. Anthony Aziabah, the Bolgatanga Municipal Director of Education, pledged the directorate's readiness to work closely with LCD for the effective delivery of education. Mr. Aziabah commended LCD for facilitating the workshop and enriching it with experiences from South Africa, Uganda and Britain.