The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that the government will construct a number of basic school infrastructure projects across the country next year under President John Dramani Mahama's Reset Agenda.
The basic school infrastructure, he said, would be the adoption of the Asuogyaman Model School, which ran from kindergarten to the junior high level.
The project includes a 12-unit classroom block, a kindergarten, primary, junior high, dining hall and kitchen, computer laboratory, 14 water closets and a changing room for girls.
Preliminary arrangement
The Education Minister said preliminary arrangements for $200 million funding had been completed by the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and himself ahead of time.
Mr Iddrisu gave the hint when he inaugurated a 12-unit classroom block and some auxiliary facilities for the South Senchi District Assembly's nine-year basic school in the Asuogyaman District in the Eastern Region.
Facelift
"All the necessary financial arrangements have been completed and hopefully we are going to start next year to give basic education a facelift in all 261 districts across the country.
"The Mahama Integrated Model School will come to fruition next year, and there is no doubt about it. What is most important is the financial arrangement for funding the project, which has been completed, hence our readiness.
"We shall be adopting the Asuogyaman School Model for the country because it is the first basic school that is complete with all the necessary teaching and learning materials, as well as other social amenities that a school infrastructure deserves," Mr Iddrisu assured.
The Education Minister applauded the Asuogyaman District Assembly for the effective and judicious use of its share of the District Assembly Common Fund for projects, which he said was the first model basic school in the country.
He noted with concern that the Auditor General's Report revealed that three million children in 13 regions, involving 10,900 basic schools, were learning under trees and that this was the challenge that the Mahama Model School would be addressing from next year.
Recruitment of teachers
Mr Iddrisu also announced that very soon, 10,000 teachers would be recruited, out of which 500 would be teaching local Ghanaian languages, 500 for teachers who are challenged and 500 for deprived communities.
He said the curriculum for kindergarten to primary six had been reviewed to include teaching of artificial intelligence, ethical moral values and citizenship education.
The Asuogyaman District Chief Executive, Godwin Bobobee, said the school infrastructure that was inaugurated was a solution to the challenge that was identified in schools in the district.
Mr Bobobee explained that when he assumed office as the DCE last year, he realised after visiting schools that the problems were common across the board, which included ripped-off roofs, bat-infested buildings, community members vandalising school properties, furniture deficits, poor wiring systems, lack of washrooms, among others.
The Headmistress of the school, Matilda Hlortsi, on behalf of the school community, presented a citation to the DCE for his hard work, dedication and commitment to the school project, which had resolved the infrastructure deficit and pledged the school's commitment to maintain the edifice.
