Government has urged heads of the various senior high schools in the Northern region, who are considering closing down their schools as a result of feeding grants to rescind their decision as it takes steps to release money to their schools.
Authorities said they sympathize with the heads but assured them that money will be released before the students return from their mid-term holidays.
The Northern Regional Minister, Abdallah Abubakar gave the assurance when he presented 20 brand New buses and eight pick-ups to the senior high schools and three colleges of education in the region.
The Minister said, the president,Mr.John Dramani Mahama was deeply concerned about the situation and has directed the finance minister to release funds for onward disbursement to the schools.
Government, Mr Abubakar said, was committed to changing lives and transforming the country to ensure that all the necessary logistics are provided for institutions.
“We are agreed perfectly and rightly that, you can’t talk transforming and changing lives and transforming the country when you are not investing in people,” Mr Abubakar emphasized.
Education directors logistical problems
The Chairman of Northern Region Conference of District Education Directors, Nelson Aborigia who took delivery of the vehicles on behalf of beneficiary schools urged government to look into transportation problem facing directors.
Mr Aborigia who doubles as the Yendi Municipal Education Director said some directors are going through serious difficulties in attending meetings outside their districts.
“We nearly got into trouble as on our way to Tamale from Yendi because the car developed a fault and when we were pushing the car, someone took a picture of us and we had to beg the person to delete it and so that it does not go viral on social media with a political twist,” Mr Aborigia lamented.
Responding to the logistical challenges facing second cycle educational institutions, Mr Abubakar said most the challenges are not recent ones, but added that government is committed to finding solutions to them.
The minister took the opportunity to warn head masters whose actions or in-actions suggest that they want to induce students to vote a certain way.
“We don’t expect headmasters to use their institutions of learning as a platform to induce students to determine their voting patterns and at the appropriate time we will take action to address those challenges,” the minister warned.
Regional Education Director causation against misuse
The Northern Regional Director of Education, Alhaji Mohammed Haroun cautioned heads of educational institutions in the region to desist from using the school buses as if they were meant for funeral and naming ceremonies.
He said the buses are meant for conveying students for meetings and conventions and excursions and not for attending funeral by outsiders.
He said such misuse of school vehicles directly affects the schools and directed all beneficiary school heads to take good care of the vehicles or have themselves to blame for its misuse.