Students’ enrolment increases in Lawra due to Free SHS

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Lawra in the Upper West Region, Mr Martin Bomba-ire, has announced a tremendous increase in the student enrolment in the area because of the introduction of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy implemented by government.

 He said through the Free SHS policy, student enrolment into the various senior high schools in the municipality increased from 1,080 students in 2017/2018 academic year to 2,497 students in 2018/2019 academic year with 1,417 students and a total of 1,111 students had been enrolled for the 2019/2020 academic year.

Mr Bomba-ire said this at a “Meet the Press and Citizens Engagement forum” organised by the Lawra Municipal Assembly in collaboration with the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council.

This was to brief the media and citizens on the development projects implemented by the Assembly focusing on education, security,  health, agriculture, employment, water and sanitation, rural electrification and roads among other many sectors.

 Mr Bomba-ire said these student beneficiaries had been enrolled in schools in the municipality including, Lawra SHS, Eremon SHS, Birifoh SHS among others.

He said the assembly in collaboration with the Member of Parliament for Lawra, Mr Anthony Abayifaa Karbo and support from the GETFund, refurnished 241 metallic mono desks for the Lawra SHS.

He said the Assembly had also renovated a three-unit classroom block at Yatuuri, constructed KG blocks at Babile, Birifoh Baapari, Kuoli and Orbile and also supplied about 2,055 pieces of furniture to schools in the area.

He said the Lawra Municipal Library had also been renovated.

Mr Bomba-ire, speaking on security, said the area had been very peaceful and that the assembly in collaboration with the MP also supported the Police Service with three motorbikes as well as a saloon and pickup vehicles to aid their patrols in the area.

He said the Interior Minister, Mr Ambrose Dery, had also supported the area with the establishment of two Police checkpoints at the Kambaa and Dangbang road while the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) was also supporting to establish another Police checkpoint at Domwine-koh.

Touching on health, Mr Bomba-ire said the MP also supported the assembly to donate 50 beds to facilitate health care delivery, registered and renewed NHIS cards for about 2,000 people, renovated the doctor’s bungalow in Babile as well as assisted in the construction of the second floor of a storey building for the Lawra Nurses Training College.

Mr Bomba-ire stated that, 4,868 males and 876 female farmers had also benefitted from the Planting for Food and Jobs programme.

He mentioned that some graduates have been enrolled under the Nation Builders Corps (NaBCo) in the municipality, comprising of 49 permanently being employed, 121 as teaching and non-teaching staff for the basic and secondary schools, whilst 54 were recruited under the community police, and 194 under youth and sanitation.

He said 52 boreholes had been constructed in the area as well as extension of electricity to some communities in the municipality including Kalsagri and Birifoh Cha.

GNA

The MCE addressing the programme