‘Infrastructure dev’t key to quality education’

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The deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lawyer Ebo Barton Odro, has stated that Ghana will only be able to achieve quality education for socio-economic development if various educational structures are developed to enhance academic excellence.

According to him, developing infrastructure at the various levels of education in the country was very crucial without which educational delivery will be rendered ineffective or unproductive.

He noted that population increase as well as the creation of awareness on formal education has made it imperative for existing infrastructure to be expanded to accommodate more students and teachers in the educational field.

He added that infrastructure development must therefore not only be limited to classroom accommodation but other areas such as staff bungalows, laboratories, dormitories and lecture halls among others to be able to tackle the situation head on.

The deputy Attorney-General made this known over the weekend during the 21st speech and prize giving day ceremony of Oguaa Senior High Technical in Cape Coast.

Speaking on the theme “Infrastructural development: A vital key to academic excellence,” the deputy minister who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cape Coast pointed out that considerable additional investments are needed to ensure that the nation’s public schools are healthy, safe, environmentally sound and built and maintained to support high quality education.

“Today most of our schools face the combined challenge of deteriorating conditions, out of date designs and overcrowding which impair the quality of teaching and learning and contribute to health and safety problems for staff and students,” he said.

“How can we expect students to perform at high levels in school buildings that are substandard? he asked.

Lawyer Odro therefore noted that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is working hard to build and modernize educational facilities, saying research has shown that students attending school in newer and better facilities score five to seventeen points higher on standardised test than those attending in substandard buildings.

He disclosed that government, policy makers and all stakeholders are concerned about the canker and are devising ways to salvage the situation since it can undermine efforts to reform education in the country.

The MP stated that government attaches much importance and seriousness to education and mentioned the supply of 3,500 mono-desks to second cycle institutions in Cape Coast, financial support to 531 needy but brilliant students in the area and construction of pavilion, dormitory
and classrooms for Oguaa Senior High Technical, Adisadel College, St Augustine’s College, Mfantsipim School, Holy Child and Wesley Girls High School, as some of government’s efforts to improve education in the region.

The Central Regional Director of Education, Mr Kofi Sarfo Kantanka, in a speech read on his behalf urged government to continue to provide infrastructure for Central Regional schools especially community schools to improve studies and motivate students to learn.

He also advised the students to be disciplined and eschew all forms of negative practices that will hinder their academic performance.

The headmistress of the school, Mrs Anastasia Thomford Okyere, stated that the school has a total population of 1,447 with 250 graduating this year.

He mentioned some of the challenges facing the school as lack of Information Communication Technology (ICT) Centre, library, staff room and dining hall as well as electricity which makes it difficult for students to practice for their oral examinations.

She also commended government for providing infrastructure for the school over the past years saying “we have had our fair share of government’s ‘Better Ghana’ agenda.

The ceremony was chaired by the Omanhene of Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II.

STORY FROM: MAGDALENE SEY, CAPE COAST, C/R.

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