The Sene West District in Ghana's Bono East Region is grappling with a severe education crisis. About 35 schools are operating under trees due to a lack of classroom infrastructure. This has resulted in a significant teacher deficit of over 300, affecting education delivery and academic performance. The situation is particularly dire in riverine areas, including Bunji and Chaboba.
The Sene West District Director of Education, Mr. Seidu Iddrisu Bawa, has appealed to the government for urgent support to address these challenges. He disclosed that schools operating under trees are mainly in communities along the riverine areas. The lack of classroom infrastructure is significantly affecting academic performance, with schools under trees performing poorly compared to those with proper classrooms in towns.
The situation is exacerbated by the shortage of teachers, with only 23 newly trained teachers posted to the district this year. Mr. Bawa described this number as woefully inadequate. Even schools in the district capital are not spared, with some basic schools having only about six teachers handling both primary and Junior High School levels. In rural communities, the situation is worse, with only one or two teachers manning an entire school.
Mr. Bawa further disclosed that some communities have only one teacher, while others have a few teachers handling all levels. For instance, Chaboba has two teachers for the entire JHS and three for the primary school. Bunji Primary School has only two teachers – the headteacher and a female teacher. He has officially written to the Regional Director of Education to visit the district and witness the situation firsthand.
The Director has also appealed to the Minister of Education and the Director General of the Ghana Education Service for intervention. He called for a special posting arrangement that would prioritize trained teachers who are natives of the area and currently unemployed. This, he believes, would help address the teacher shortage and improve education delivery.
Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive for Sene West, Mr. Khaari Fuseini, has inspected a new classroom block being constructed for the Banyarko D/A Primary School. The decision to provide this facility was informed by the deplorable conditions under which pupils were previously learning. The school's isolated location made it necessary to add ancillary facilities to support education delivery.
The government has taken steps to address the situation, with the construction of new classroom blocks. However, much work remains to be done to address the education crisis in Sene West. The district needs urgent support to provide adequate classroom infrastructure and address the teacher shortage.
Key points
- The Sene West District faces a severe education crisis with 35 schools operating under trees and over 300 teacher shortage.
- The lack of classroom infrastructure and teacher shortage are significantly affecting academic performance in the district.
- The government and education authorities have been urged to intervene and provide urgent support to address these challenges.
