Education in Bunkpurugu Yunyoo District under threat

21-11-2010
Education in the Bunkpurugu Yunyoo district in the Northern Region is said to be under threat due to the continuous ethnic and chieftaincy conflict in the area. To this effect most schools are at the verge of collapse as school enrollment has reduced to the barest minimum. The District Director of Education, Mr. J.B Dakorah who disclosed this to Radio Ghana said most people particularly, pupils as a result of the conflict had fled to neighbouring Togo to seek refuge with their friends and relatives. He described the conflict in the area as devastating, since it has claimed lives and properties with houses burned down rendering most people homeless. This, he said, has brought about insecurity, poverty, deprivation and a general setback to development particularly, on education. According to Mr Dakor, 24 schools within the Dekperu, Nadong, Nakuk and its catchment area have been greatly affected by the conflict. This he added has had serious consequences on school attendance, educational infrastructure and psychological trauma among pupils. School enrollment over the years has not been encouraging as most teachers had refused to accept postings to district to teach. Most qualifies tutors including teaching assistants have also relocated to safer areas waiting for calm to return to the area. A circuit Supervisor, Mr. Evans Dramani, who also spoke to Radio Ghana said school attendance in 11 primary schools with 1,800 pupils comprising 885 boys and 915 girls, have greatly reduced. According to him, to a little above 50 percent of the said student population in the Binde North Circuit, now attend to school. Mr. Dramani appealed to the security authorities to prevent school children from crossing the country’s borders to neighbouring towns and cities. He commended the Catholic Church for its role in the maintenance of peace in the district and called on others to help in that direction. He appealed to his chiefs, traditional authorities and colleague teachers to preach peace to their subjects to help ensure development. Mr. Dramani also called on the feuding factions involve in the conflict to bury their differences and prohibit violence in all forms.
GBC END IA/