Regional Minister calls for efforts to tackle education challenges in Northern Region

The Northern Regional Minister, Ali Adolf John, has called for stronger, multi-stakeholder collaboration among government entities, district authorities, traditional and religious leaders, parents, teachers, civil society organisations, and local communities to address pre-tertiary education challenges across the region.

Speaking on Monday at a regional stakeholder engagement in Tamale themed "Building Strong Partnerships: The Role of Communities in Advancing Quality Pre-Tertiary Education," the Minister emphasised that education is a shared responsibility.

He noted that while the state provides policy direction, infrastructure, and teaching staff, government action alone cannot guarantee student success without active community-level participation and ownership.

The high-level gathering brought together Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), District Directors of Education, school management committees, teacher unions, development partners, and civil society groups, including ActionAid Ghana.

Reviewing performance data from 2022 to 2025, participants examined critical hurdles facing the sector, such as inadequate infrastructure, teacher and pupil absenteeism, weak parental engagement, teenage pregnancy, child labour, and high dropout rates.

To overcome these obstacles, Mr Ali Adolf John advocated for a fundamental paradigm shift that recognises local communities as active partners in educational delivery rather than passive beneficiaries. He tasked MMDCEs and local directors to integrate regional education priorities directly into district development plans, monitor learning outcomes effectively, and maintain transparent resource management.

Outlining ongoing state interventions to complement community efforts, the Minister highlighted targeted policy measures aimed at expanding access and improving quality.

On infrastructure, he noted that the government is focusing on completing abandoned E-Blocks, upgrading 30 Category C Senior High Schools, and constructing modern classroom blocks, such as the newly completed facility at Achinayili in the Karaga District.

To ease financial burdens on families and improve retention, he noted that GH¢4.2 billion has been allocated to the Free SHS policy in the 2026 budget.

According to him, the state is also absorbing BECE registration fees for public school candidates, implementing the No Academic Fees policy for first-year public tertiary students, and dedicating GH¢292.4 million to the Free Sanitary Pads Programme to support adolescent girls in school.

Addressing staffing and curriculum quality, the Regional Minister disclosed that financial clearance has been secured to recruit 7,000 teachers, with priority given to deprived and hard-to-reach areas, ahead of a further 16,000-teacher recruitment drive.

Coupled with foundational learning initiatives like GALOP in districts such as Tatale-Sanguli and Nanumba North, he added that the revised curriculum is incorporating STEM, coding, robotics, and artificial intelligence to prepare learners for modern demands.

Mr Ali Adolf John concluded by reminding stakeholders that investment in education must focus on equity, learner well-being, and actual learning outcomes, stressing that the future prosperity of the Northern Region depends directly on the quality of support provided in classrooms.