The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, embarked on a working visit to selected schools in the Upper East Region to assess the state of education in the area on
Monday, 15th September 2025..
His first point of call was at Zebilla Senior/ Technical School in the Bawku West District, where he assessed the impact of the ongoing conflict on WASSCE candidates and the student body at large.
After his interaction with the students, the Minister was conducted around sections of the school’s dilapidated infrastructure, including the dining hall currently being used as the center for the ongoing WASSCE examinations.
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The school’s headmaster highlighted these challenges to draw the government’s attention for redress.
From Zebilla, the Minister proceeded to the Bolgatanga Technical Institute (BOTECH) and the Zamse Senior High/Technical School (ZAMSETECH) respectively.
At BOTECH, he inspected damages resulting from recent students’ disturbances, which led to the burning of the school’s library and some water storage facilities.
After engaging with management and staffs, the Minister issued a one-week deadline for the school authorities to submit their investigative report on the disturbances, and another week for the TVET Director General to implement its recommendations. He also expressed concern about the rising trend of student indiscipline and assured heads of schools of the government’s full support in addressing the menace.
Again, the Minister noted requests from teachers and management for a new girls’ dormitory, renovation of the burnt library, a review of the 10% rent policy for TVET/secondary schools’ teachers, and solutions to promotion challenges faced by TVET teachers.
At ZAMSETECH, the Minister first inspected the ongoing WASSCE exams in the school, and later listened to management’s concerns about infrastructural challenges, including the need for a fence wall around the girls’ dormitory, additional dormitory blocks, a pickup vehicle, and protection of the school’s land, dining hall furniture among others.
He pledged to allocate part of the GHS 1 billion funding earmarked for phasing out the double-track system to help address these pressing needs.
The Minister was accompanied by the Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Donatus Akamugre Atanga; Regional Chairman of the NDC, Alhaji Mumuni Bolnaba; Deputy Director-General of the GES; Upper East Regional Director of Education, Madam Alice Aberin-Enga; PRINCOF President, Prof. Samuel Atintono, and a host of Regional Executives of the NDC.
The Minister was also joined at various stages of the tour by the MP for Bawku West, Ebenezer Alumire Ndebilla; the DCE for Bawku West District, James Ayamwego, the MCE for Bolgatanga Municipality, Roland Ayoo; and the Municipal Director of Education for Bolga Municipal.
The Minister’s tour was very successful and reassuring, as it demonstrated the government’s commitment to addressing both security-related and infrastructural challenges in the region’s educational sector.
By Jonathan Abdalla Salifu
RCO-UER, NDC
