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20.10.2005 Regional News

Traditional ruler calls for the transfer of drunkard teachers

20.10.2005 LISTEN
By GNA

Binde (NR),Oct.20, GNA - A Traditional ruler in Binde, a farming community in the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo district has called on the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to transfer all drunkard teachers from rural areas to urban centres to improve education in rural areas.

Pib-Rana-Mammaria Banzoa Kolugu II, chief of Binde, made the appeal when Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface, Northern Regional Minister paid a courtesy call on him at Binde on Wednesday.

The Regional Minister was on a day's visit to the district to inspect development projects, learn at first hand the situation in the rural communities and how best the Government could assist to improve their standard of living.

Pib-Rana-Mammaria Kolugu said most of the teachers within the Binde community were drunkards and spent most of their time at drinking spots even during teaching periods, adding "the situation is very appalling and needed urgent attention to stop them to improve rural education." He said some of them boast that they were certificate holders and often refused to teach since there was no proper supervision and called for an investigation and action taken to ensure children in rural communities benefited from quality education.

Pib-Rana-Mammaria Kolugu said Binde used to top all the schools in the district but due to the attitude of the teachers the children hardly pass the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) to enter Senior Secondary schools.

"I know Binde is not the only community to face this problem. The best way to stop it is to transfer them to the urban centres where there will be proper supervision," He added.

The chief appealed to the management of GHACEM and the Government to assist the Binde community with about 300 bags of cement to help them build residential quarters for the Binde police station and expansion of health and educational facilities.

Pib-Rana-Mammaria Kolugu said the people were imbued with communal spirit through which they built a community centre, therefore, any assistance for development projects would be utilised judiciously.

Alhaji Boniface, said education was paramount in the manifesto of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) therefore, the Government would not forgive any truant teacher whose conduct would affect education. He advised teachers to desist from drinking for the children not to learn their negative habits.

The Regional Minister directed Madam Elizabeth Poyari Pigit, Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo District Chief Executive (DCE), to take up the matter and ensure sanity prevailed for an effective and efficient teaching and learning in the district.

"I am touched by your words of wisdom and the commitment of you and your people about the development of the area. The NPP Government would be very glad if you use the same wisdom to convince your people to accept and register for the National Health Insurance Scheme." The Regional Minister added.

Alhaji Boniface appealed to the chief to collaborate with other chiefs in the region to solve conflicts in the Region. Madam Pigit, assured the chiefs and people that the assembly would assist them to develop the area.

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