The Zebilla constituency is grappling with a shortage of 300 teachers, creating significant challenges for educational delivery in the area, according to Member of Parliament Ebenezer Ndebilla.
The teacher deficit represents one of the most pressing issues affecting education in the constituency, where recent Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results have been “very appalling and worrying,” Ndebilla said during a recent interview.
The lawmaker described the education situation as nothing to be proud of, particularly given the constituency’s performance decline in recent years.
Beyond staffing shortages, infrastructure remains a major concern, with some students still forced to study under trees due to inadequate classroom facilities. The lack of proper learning environments compounds the educational challenges facing young people in the area.
Mining activities in and around the constituency have further complicated educational efforts, with many young people dropping out of school in pursuit of quick money from mining ventures. Ndebilla explained that students often see peers who chose mining over education achieving material success, including building houses, while educated professionals like teachers and nurses struggle financially.
“Most of the young guys growing up, then they begin to focus on making the quick money because they believe that that is the surest way of making it,” Ndebilla said.
This perception has led to significant dropout rates, with students leaving school after primary education or even before entering BECE to pursue mining and other ventures they believe will provide faster financial returns.
Monitoring of schools has also proven challenging due to inadequate resources. Circuit Supervisors (CISOs) lack transportation and fuel to effectively oversee educational institutions across the large constituency.
To address these challenges, Ndebilla has secured four GETFund projects for the constituency, including two six-unit classroom blocks, a six-unit teacher’s quarters, and a home economics block for Zebila Senior High Technical School.
The government has also directed that 20 percent of the District Assembly’s Common Fund be dedicated to completing abandoned infrastructure projects, termed “legacy projects.” Eight additional projects have been advertised under the Common Fund and are expected to begin construction soon.
“In the next few days, there will be a cutting sod for the construction of numerous projects that will help boost the educational standards in the constituency,” Ndebilla said.
Source: asaaseradio.com
