Sirigu (U/E), June 17, GNA - There are about 180 schools in the Upper East Region that hold classes under trees and many Directorates of Education use rented houses as offices.

Some do their administrative work under trees and the worst are the new districts of Kassena Nankana West and the Talensi Nabdam. Mr. Mark Woyongo, the Upper East Regional Minister, said this when he briefed the Minister of Education, Mr. Alex Tetteh-Enyo, when he visited the Region to launch the crash programme of the Senior High Schools. Mr. Woyongo said as a result of the deprived nature of the Region the pupil/teacher ratio was 50 pupils to one teacher and the situation was made worse by teachers leaving for further studies or in search of greener pastures.

He said the situation was more serious in the Senior High Schools as many of the structures had deteriorated and some of the schools had no dormitories, science laboratories and staff accommodation. Mr. Woyongo said only 10 senior high schools have buses and 14 pick-ups and said this is affecting academic work.

He said there was light at the end of the tunnel as the government had started a programme to provide all under tree schools in the country with infrastructure. Mr Woyongo said in addition 50 villages in each District in the Region would benefit from rural a electrification project and this would also benefit schools in the region especially deprived ones. Mr Tetteh-Enyo said the government was doing all it could to assist deprived schools with infrastructure.