Several measures have been put in place to bridge the gap between rural urban schools in the area of academic performance, Mr. Mahama Ayariga, Deputy Minister of Education said in Parliament on Wednesday.

He said sponsorship of trainee teachers by the assemblies to help attract qualified teachers was one of the measures.

Mr. Ayariga made this known when he appeared to answer questions on the floor of Parliament tabled by Mr. George Boakye, Member of Parliament for Asunafo South.

Mr. Ayariga said the other measures include replacement of schools under trees with permanent classroom blocks at the rural areas, as well as provision of textbooks as a priority to rural pupils.

He also listed the provision of school uniforms to rural pupils AND expansion of the school feeding programme.

Mr. Ayariga noted that the school health education programme to ensure healthy school children was part of the measures.**