Tamale: The Northern Network for Education Development (NNED) has called on the government to urgently address the shortage of classroom blocks in basic schools, particularly in northern Ghana. This plea follows the 2025 Auditor-General's Report, which highlights widespread infrastructure deficits across the region.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Network has described the situation as a national emergency, emphasizing that it continues to deny millions of children their right to quality education while exacerbating inequalities between urban and rural communities. The call was made in a press release signed by Mr. Gaskin Dassah, Coordinator of the NNED, and distributed to relevant stakeholders.
The statement highlights that the 2025 Auditor-General's Report found that 10,730 basic schools across 13 regions lack permanent classroom blocks, forcing over three million pupils to study in inadequate conditions such as under trees, in churches, sheds, and other temporary structures. The issue is particularly severe in northern Ghana, where pupils in rural and deprived communities are subjected to harsh weather conditions, dust, noise, and other distractions that undermine effective teaching and learning.
NNED stresses that these inadequate learning conditions reduce school attendance, weaken pupils' concentration, and contribute to poor academic performance. The statement asserts that no child should be denied quality education simply because of their birthplace, highlighting that the lack of adequate classroom infrastructure perpetuates disparities in access to quality education and threatens the future of many children, especially girls, children with disabilities, and those from poor households.
NNED appeals to the government, the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service, and local authorities, including Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies and Members of Parliament, to prioritize the construction of safe, accessible, and well-equipped classroom blocks in underserved communities. The Network also urges the government to publish a comprehensive action plan detailing the affected schools, construction timelines, budgetary allocations, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure accountability in addressing the infrastructure deficit.
The statement emphasizes that education is the foundation of national development and warns that Ghana cannot achieve its development goals while millions of children continue to study under trees. It concludes by underscoring the urgency of the situation, stating that sustained investment in school infrastructure is crucial for improving learning outcomes and ensuring equitable access to quality basic education across the country.