Bolgatanga, Jan 24, GNA - A directive issued by the Director General of Ghana Education Service (GES) that students who gain admission into Senior High Schools in the Upper East must be medically examined by "Mercy Clinic", an Accra based facility, has been scolded by a pro poor group. The Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) said the 6 Ghana cedis per a student arrangement would not only affect the decentralization process but would also retard the development of the Region This was contained in a press release signed by the President of NORPRA, Mr. Bismark Ayorogo Adongo, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga at the weekend.

It indicated that there were a lot of qualified health professionals in the region who were more competent in examining the students medically and said students under the National Health Scheme could be examined free of charge if only they had registered for the scheme.

It explained that statistics available indicated that the population of freshmen at Senior High Schools in the Region stood at five thousand and that charging 6 Ghana cedis would amount to thirty thousand Ghana cedis per anum which could be used to propel the development of the Region if the job was given to local medical officers in the area.

The release stated that despite the numerous concerns and complaints raised by the Upper East Regional GES directorate and other stakeholders about the issue and even the quality of medical examination rendered to the students to the Director, had fallen on deaf ears. NORPRA called on the Director General of the GES to reverse the trend and allow medical staff from the Government hospitals in the Region to examine the students medically. NORPRA said it would not hesitate to embark on other means including demonstrations to pressure home their demands if the Director General of GES refused to respond positively to their demands, the release said. 24 Jan.10