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Article: Why is our success in the Upper East region of Ghana so important?
Date: May 2010 Location: Talensi Nabdam, Upper East Region, Ghana |
"Our District (Talensi Nabdam) has won the sympathy of the MPs, NGOs and the Ghana Library Board through the publicity that LCD Education Conference gave us. LCD should continue to support us" said Mr Francis Ayaaba - District Director of Education, Talensi Nabdam.
Talensi Nabdam is in the Upper East region of Ghana, 600 km from Ghana's capital, Accra over appalling roads. When you get there you find a semi-arid landscape where the temperature often reaches 45°C. Most people rely on agriculture for a living, so life is hard, and especially so if the rains fail.
Being so far from the capital means Talensi Nabdam's schools have often missed out on the government's education initiatives, with damaging consequences. Illiteracy is almost double the national average, and despite the country-wide policy of Universal Primary Education, only about half the children go to school. 
Making sustainable change is no simple matter - but Link Community Development work through the local education authorities so our work reaches and remains at the very heart of the education system. These are the people whose ultimate responsibility it is to maintain standards in the schools, we simply help them to do their job better.The District Director of Education has seen a big improvement since LCD has been working with the district staff, from being the worst in the region in 2005, to being the second best in 2009. This is a remarkable achievement and he feels that his district has caught the eye of politicians and policy makers. His staff have shown what can be done.
