Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education, has said that government is resolved to provide schools with the requisite furniture, educational materials and infrastructure.
This, he explained, is to help deliver quality education to the benefit of the students in the various schools.
According to him, authorities have stepped up efforts to maximize the provision of adequate classrooms in Senior High Schools with the aim of creating enough space for the students to learn.
The Education Minister further disclosed that government is liaising with the various contractors working on school building projects across the country to ensure its speedy completion.
Dr. Adutwum made this known during a meeting with members of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) of the Ashanti and Western North Regions.
Infrastructure provision to end double track
Touching on the reason for such projects, Dr Adutwum emphasized that the underlying objective is to bring an end to the double-track system.
He revealed that currently, a considerable number of schools had enough infrastructure to conduct normal academic sessions.
“It is our hope that by next year, the schools which still have the double-track system running might have moved on to single-track.”
Dr. Yaw Adutwum
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Adutwum lauded heads of the Senior High Schools for their contribution towards educational development in the country.
He said their commitment to the successful implementation of the ‘Free SHS Programme’ and other policies meant to ensure the growth of Ghana’s human resource base, are commendable.
“These are individuals who toil day and night to make sure our children are fed. And also, everything that they need is provided and education is advanced.”
Dr. Yaw Adutwum
The meeting with the heads of schools also discussed the performance of SHSs in respect of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the welfare of the school heads and the provision of infrastructure.
Creative Arts SHS 60% complete
Inspecting the ongoing infrastructural project in the Ashanti region prior to the meeting with CHASS, he disclosed that work on the first phase of Ghana’s first-ever Creative Arts Senior High School (SHS), being constructed at Kwadaso in the Ashanti Region, is near completion.
He revealed that, currently, about 60 percent of the project has been executed by the contractors.
The Education Minister then disclosed that the facilities being worked on included an administration block, a 750-capacity girls’ dormitory as well as a 500-capacity boys’ dormitory, classroom blocks and a studio laboratory.
President’s promise of improving creative art industry
The project forms part of President Akufo-Addo’s 2016 campaign promise of improving and promoting the creative arts industry in the country.
The Minister based on that said government is committed to diversifying the economy by grooming young talents for the creative arts industry to enhance job creation and poverty alleviation.
Dr. Adutwum further said a team of experts have been put together to develop the curriculum for the institution. He also averred that the operationalization of the Creative Arts SHS is expected to commence soon.
The project upon completion will see to the identification and the harnessing of young talents in areas encompassing literature, music, drama, visual arts, film, dance, sound engineering and film production.
