Bolgatanga, April 9, GNA – The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Stephen Yakubu has handed over a 10-bed capacity boy’s dormitory block to management of the Bolgatanga Senior High School (BIGBOSS) to help abolish the double-track education system.
The block, constructed by the Abera Constructions Company Limited, was at an estimated cost of GH¢5.5 million and has lavatories, staff office, laundry space and a corridor for ironing.
Briefing journalists after the block was handed over, Mr Yakubu said the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy increased enrollment in the SHSs across the country, and compelled government to temporally introduce the double-track system to ensure more intake.
The Minister said the new dormitory block was part of government’s intention to expand infrastructure across the various SHSs and gradually fade-out the double-track system.
He thanked the Building Consultant and Contractor on behalf of the government for the work done and urged management of BIGBOSS to ensure that students took proper care of the facility to serve its purpose.
Mr Cletus Zoot, the Assistant Headmaster in charge of Administration, who received the keys to the dormitory block, indicated that the facility would solve their accommodation challenges and revert the school back to the single-track system.
He thanked government for the dormitory block, and said “With this additional facility, we are good to go on the single-track. It will hugely help us to address the accommodation problems on campus.”
On the ongoing Computerised School Selection and Placement System, the Assistant Head of Administration said the school had the capacity to admit 1000 students and disclosed that about 800 students were so far enrolled.
Mr Zoot said about 45 per cent of students who sat for last year’s West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) qualified to move to the tertiary level, but noted that in terms of percentage pass, the school had 92 per cent.
He blamed the mediocre performance of students on discipline and unwillingness of students to learn, “Students are not just prepared to learn. Sometimes you have teachers chasing students to get into their classrooms and with our situation too, we do not have a fenced wall and so controlling them is a big challenge.”
“Within the catchment area, the calibre of students placed here, is a problem. We have the average aggregate of 28 to 30 and above, when we have other schools getting single digits,’ he said.
GNA