RCC, School for Life and IBIS holds Northern Regional Education Forum

By: Abdul-Mumin Ahmed

School for Life and IBIS are non-governmental organizations in the northern region that works to improve access to relevant quality basic education in northern Ghana. The two organizations after critically analyzing BECE results of schools in the region realized that the region has consistently been the worst performing region in the country for the past three years. While 51.86 percent of students who sat for the BECE in Ghana had aggregate 6-30, only 10 percent had the equivalent pass grades in district such as Savelugu, East Gonja, West Gonja and Saboba districts, all in the Northern region. The region resultantly had the number of pupils who failed the examination, exceeding the number that passed the exams. The abysmal performance of pupils in the basic certificate exams prompted the need for an educational forum that will bring together all key stakeholders in education delivery within the region to discuss on the issue and find ways of improving the performance of pupils and schools at the basic level in the region.

The Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed Muniru addressing participants at the just ended Educational Forum

Discussions on the issue between School for Life and IBIS on one hand and Regional Coordinating Council and GES on the other hand lead to a fruitful collaboration in the organization of the forum

The forum brought together the Northern Regional Minister, the Regional Director of Education, the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, the District Coordinating Directors, the Presiding Members, District Directors of Education, Chiefs and Civil Socity Organizations of districts within the region.

Chiefs addressing pertinent issues in the forum

These identified key stakeholders met and deliberated extensively on the current developmental challenges confronting the education sector in the region and came out with strategies to address the challenges. Among strategies that will be used by districts to improve performance at the basic level include:

1. Monitoring of Schools and Teachers to be taken up as part of MMDCE’s roles,

1.  SMCs/PTA should and will be encouraged to monitor Teachers in schools in their various communities,

1. Organization of regular quiz and reading competitions among students, schools and circuits,

1. Regular reshuffling of teachers and

1. Regular record keeping of Teachers presence and lessons delivery in schools by Head Teachers

Outcomes of the forum is expected to effectively contribute towards improvement academic performance in basic schools in the region.