The problem of ‘schools under trees’ in the country can be entirely eliminated if the military is used to embark on construction activities either than solely relying on government to award contracts for school blocks to be built.
This is the alternative proffered by president of the Millar Open University in the Upper East Region, Prof. David Millar to tackle the teething challenge of school children studying under dangerous conditions in dilapidated structures and schools under trees as witnessed across the country.
Prof. Millar indicates that central government can lessen its burden by allowing the Military Engineers Regiments of the Ghana Armed Forces (GFA) to take over the construction of emergency infrastructure projects as was done in the past.
“I had one of my beautiful ideas about schools under trees which have not gone very far, I don’t know if you people have heard about it. It is a simple matter, you know we have this field engineer’s regiment of the armed forces? they are very good in building bridges and pavilions and so on. When we were young they built most of the metal bridges. That regiment now has three regiments, engineers fully qualified. They are taught to quickly fix things .If you charge them with the responsibility of fixing pavilions for the school children, they will finish thousand in one year” he stated
He also added that prisoners in Ghana have been of no use to the country since they are only housed without been engaged in any vigorous developmental projects and therefore called for the engagement of prisoners in voluntary community service.
“Last time the Prison Director told me that about nearly thousand prisoners have been locked up morning and evening you give them food and so on. Some of them are not violent prisoners. They are prisoners because of some other errors… if you put these prisoners to accompany these field engineers regiment to build up pavilions for schools, all the schools under trees will be removed in one year”. The prisoners are locked up, they are being fed, and their health is being taken care of. They are doing nothing. The prisoners themselves will like to come in the open and be free from morning till evening to also fraternize with society while they work as voluntary labor” – He stressed
Prof. David Millar made these remarks as a guest speaker in a lecture organized by A1 Radio as part of activities marking its 10th Anniversary celebration on the Topic “Contemporary Reforms in Ghana’s Educational Sector, the way forward”. On the panel were the Upper East Regional Director of Ghana Education Service (GES) , Augustine Ayirizang , Former National Director of Second Cycle Institutions ,Rev Simon Asige and Parent Association’s Secretary for Upper East Region, Rev. John Akaribo.
Source: A1radioonline.com/101.com
