Language barriers and some parental practices have been identified as major challenges affecting the delivery of quality education in the Lambussie District of the Upper West Region.
Speaking on a late-afternoon radio talk show on Lambussie FM, officials of the Lambussie District Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Kuoro Adams Tawaah, B. A. Lateef and Amoah Basing, who spoke to host Jonah Mampong, highlighted a number of challenges confronting education in the district.
According to them, although the district has made significant progress in expanding access to second-cycle education, some learners still struggle to understand lessons because of language barriers.
They explained that not all learners have a strong understanding of the English language, while some teachers and facilitators also do not understand the local languages spoken by the learners. This, they noted, creates difficulties in effective communication and lesson delivery, potentially affecting learners’ academic performance.
The officials also raised concerns about the practice of some parents withdrawing their children from school and asking them to stay away from classes to accompany them to farms.
They described the practice as a serious challenge to the district’s efforts to improve educational outcomes and appealed to parents to desist from involving school-going children in farming activities during school hours.
They stressed that parents have an important role to play in ensuring that their children remain in school and receive the education needed to secure better opportunities in the future.
The GES officials noted that access to second-cycle education in the Lambussie District has improved considerably, with the district now having four second-cycle institutions.
These are Holy Family Senior High School, Piina Senior High School, Lambussie Senior High School and Karni Technical Institute.
They further disclosed that the Lambussie Community Day Senior High School has been converted into a boarding school, a development they said would help reduce the burden on students who previously had to walk long distances to access education.
According to them, the expansion of second-cycle institutions and the conversion of the Community Day Senior High School into a boarding facility are important steps towards improving access to education in the district.
Despite the challenges, the officials said education continues to thrive in the Lambussie District, attributing the progress partly to the support of stakeholders.
They particularly commended the Member of Parliament for Lambussie, Hon. Prof. Titus K. Beyuo, for awarding scholarships to deserving students and instituting an awards scheme to recognise and motivate high-performing teachers.
They said such interventions provide important support to students and teachers while contributing to improved educational outcomes in the district.
The officials also expressed appreciation to Non-Governmental Organisations operating in the district for their contributions towards improving education and supporting learners and schools.
