Mr Daniel Syme, Upper East Deputy Regional Minister, has called for innovative ways of teaching coupled with the stringent compliance to performance agreements of stakeholders to improve the falling standards of education.

Mr Syme also called for the enforcement of strict school bye laws to commit parents, teachers and pupils to dedicate themselves to their roles and adhere to all regulations.

The Deputy Regional Minister made the call at the opening session of a three-day annual regional education sector review and forum, on Wednesday.

The forum, with the theme, “Enhancing Quality Basic Education in Public Basic Schools through effective stakeholder participation”, sought to review the performance of education in the region and find solutions to challenges.

Mr Syme noted that teacher absenteeism, high level indiscipline among pupils, refusal of teacher postings and high number of pupil teacher trainees in the basic schools contributed to the many problems affecting the performance of basic schools.

He expressed worry about the region’s performance at the basic level over the years and called on school oversight committees, teachers, and Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) to be more committed to their responsibilities and help in the monitoring and evaluation of schools performance.

He reiterated that matters of education was dear to the region, therefore, it could not be compromised and urged the regional directorate of education to reconsider the constitution of education oversight committees and PTAs.

Mr Syme also expressed dissatisfaction at the absence of the Talensi, Bulsa North and South, Garu and Pusiga District Directors of Education from the function and urged the Regional Education Directorate to officially put in letters concerning such behavior for the respective districts to be brought to book.

Mr Emmanuel Sombo Zumakpeh, Regional Director of education, in his welcoming address, expressed the hope that stakeholders would discuss issues dispassionately, bearing in mind that education was a social enterprise so its solutions would be found by participants.

Ms Clara Dube, Chief Field Officer of UNICEF, in a solidarity message, reiterated that collaboration was important in contributing towards development of education , therefore, more of that was desired to improve education.

Ms Dube who outlined her outfit’s collaborative efforts in the region, said UNICEF in the year under review, coordinated and carried out regional initiatives in collaboration with the regional education directorate to strengthen the capacity of district education offices in analyzing and planning for quality education.

In line with this, she said, 1000 teachers were trained in teaching methodologies in some districts in the region whilst, 20,000 school children were screened for identification and confirmation of health defects and helped in the diagnoses and treatment of the defects identified.