DESPITE SO much talk by successive governments on what they claimed was massive provision of infrastructural facilities for schools in the country, the pupils of 185 basic schools, out of 636, are still being exposed to the harsh weather conditions in the Upper East Region.

These schools do not have classrooms, thus compelling the pupils to sit under trees to be taught.

As if that was not enough, many of the existing schools infrastructure facilities are dilapidated, and now pose serious threats to both teachers and pupils, while some other schools in the urban centres are still running the shift system.

The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mark Woyongo, who made these revelations at the ‘Meet the Press’ in Bolgatanga, also said that all the educational institutions in the region were short of classrooms and teachers/tutors accommodation.

According to the Regional Minister, the high rate of teachers leaving the service, coupled with the quest by teachers to upgrade their knowledge in higher institutions, has rendered many schools understaffed. On the existing educational facilities, Mr. Woyongo said the region had 160 pre-schools, 449 primary schools, 177 junior high schools, 23 senior high schools, two technical schools, three private schools, one Youth Leadership Training Institute, one special school for the deaf, two teacher training colleges, one polytechnic, and the faculty of applied sciences campus of the University for Development Studies.

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He observed that there was still a high demand for infrastructural facilities for the educational sector, such as classrooms, teacher’s accommodation and boarding facilities, especially, with the new duration for the senior high school programme.

The Minister said in addressing these challenges, with respect to infrastructural facilities, the central government and municipal and district assemblies had embarked on crash programmes to ensure that the schools under trees, and shift system, are phased out.

Mr. Woyongo also touched on energy, health, agriculture, water, and sanitation.