Bawku (UE) Feb. 3, GNA - Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister on Wednesday inaugurated an ultra modern 12-unit classroom block, built at a cost of GH¢571,150.35 for Bawku Senior High School (SHS) in the Upper East Region.

Inaugurating the facility, Mr Woyongo noted that Government was committed to improve the country's educational infrastructure through the provision of modern libraries equipped with computers, and lecture halls, staff bungalows, dormitories, and laboratories among other facilities.

This, he said, was aimed at raising the standard of education in consonance with the current global challenges. Mr Woyongo said education was an instrument for maintaining social order and promoting development in the society to boost productivity and reduce poverty.

He noted that the role of education in the life of an individual could not be over emphasised because it prepared the citizenry to make informed decisions and to compete favourably in the labour market. The Minister, however, expressed dissatisfaction about the rising rate of indiscipline in all sectors of the society especially in SHSs in the Region and called on traditional leaders, religious organisations, parents, teachers and other stakeholders to play a vital role in the spread of good moral conduct to help save the society. He commended the Headmaster and Staff of the school for their hard wor= k and commitment in ensuring that the academic facility continued to attain good academic results despite the numerous challenges confronting it. The Minister later inspected similar projects at Zebilla and Kussanaba SHSs.

Mr Leonidas Dakora, Acting Bawku Municipal Director of Education, aske= d the students to take their studies seriously because education played a significant role in the socio-economic development of every nation. Mr Bismark Simon Kpuli, Headmaster said the school with a population o= f 2,383 and a teaching staff of 120, ran courses which included General Arts, Visual Arts, Science, Agricultural Science, Business, Vocational Skills and Home Economics. Mr Kpuli said academic performance of the school had improve tremendously over the past four years.

He said the school scored 100 per cent in the 2009 West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, stressing that it was ample proof of positive wind of change blowing over the academic fortunes of the educational facility. The Headmaster said the school was facing serious accommodation problems for the staff and students and appealed to the Government and the Parent- Teacher Association to help solve the predicament. He said lack of potable water was a major challenge facing the school and requested for GH¢7,000.00 from its developmental partners to rehabilitate and mechanise the broken down boreholes on campus.