Bawku (UER), July 1, GNA- Mr. Emmanuel Zumakpeh, Garu-Tempane District Deputy Director of Education in the Upper East Region, has observed that the long term effect of conflicts is the tendency to deny the nation of the requisite human resource, needed for development. He made the observation when he delivered a Paper on: "Conflict and Its Effects on Teaching and Learning," during the Third Quadrennial Municipal Delegates Conference organised by the Ghana National Association of Teachers in Bawku on Tuesday, which was attended by members of the association.

Mr. Zumakpeh pointed out that conflicts affect school attendance, leading to poor academic performance, while the education system could produce half- baked graduates who may prove to be more disastrous than outright illiterates in the development agenda. He said the damage that conflicts inflicted on teaching and learning was irreparable since teachers were not able to prepare their lessons notes well.

Another short term effect of conflicts is that it affects productivity and the ability of parents to feed their families. Mr. Zumakpe expressed the need for conflicts to be managed as soon as there are signs of trouble.

He appealed to the feuding factions in Bawku to bury their differences for the sake of development. The Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Musah Abudulai commended teachers who endured the conflict period and stayed to teach. He said Government was prepared to make the living conditions of teachers far more better and sited the recently announced special package for teachers as an example. Mr. Abdulai said the Bawku conflict was having serious impact on the academic performance of school children and asked teachers especially those from the area to preach the message of peace to the people to change for the better. 01 July 09