A call has gone to duty-bearers in education to prioritize kindergarten education facilities in the country.

Access to and delivery of quality education in some communities remains a challenge and ActionAid Ghana believes the provision of the appropriate kindergarten infrastructure would lay a good foundation for a better future for the children.

The Acting Country Director, Mr. John Nkaw, ActionAid Ghana, remarked at the commissioning of the Drobo model kindergarten school facility at Badu-Drobo in the Tain district of the Bono Region.

The walled two-unit block, funded by ActionAid, comes with an office and storeroom, tables and chairs, a mechanized borehole that provides running water to the school, a playground with some play equipment, teaching and learning materials, and a four-unit toilet and urinal.

The children in the Drobo community have had to walk over 4km to nearby communities like Tainso to access basic education, a situation that made some of the school-age children drop along the line or never get enrolled.

Mr. Nkaw said the provision of the facility confirms ActionAid's commitment to ensure equitable access to quality public education aimed at "building the confidence and self-esteem of the people to demand transparency and accountability from duty-bearers".

"It is our hope that in partnering with the District Assemblies for the provision of these models, lessons are picked to inform the plans of the districts and other stakeholders for the provision of similar structures across communities".

"I acknowledge the funding challenges of the Assemblies, but we also believe that with a little more priority given to kindergarten education, we can collectively do more in ensuring that schools in our respective communities are progressively provided with the appropriate facilities".

The Acting Country Director of ActionAid Ghana also appealed to the District Education Directorate to ensure teachers who handle the KG school are early-childhood-trained.

This, he said, "will ensure the children of the community get the most benefit from the model facility".

He further appealed to all other stakeholders to extend the best form of support to the school while monitoring the outcomes that will result in the investment.

The Assembly Member for Bipor-Ayaase Ansukrom electoral area at Badu-Drobo, Isaac Kwasi Appiah, described the educational history of the community of over 500 inhabitants as "a terrible one" because they had no befitting structure for the children.

"I am very happy for the intervention of ActionAid. It's going to help us a lot. Unlike the makeshift structure, the conducive nature of the new facility would help the children to acquire knowledge to help build the community. We are grateful", he said.

Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu Banahene, also expressed her heartfelt gratitude to ActionAid on behalf of the Chiefs and people and the Regional Coordinating Council for the construction of the child-friendly facility.

This, she said, would go a long way to improve the teaching and learning of the children, and significantly improve the quality of lives of the people.

She urged ActionAid to continue to provide complementary interventions in the areas of education, health, water, and sanitation, among others.

"Let me also call on other development partners and NGOs to complement the efforts of the Government in providing essential social services for the betterment of our citizenry".

Nation-building, she noted, is about everyone playing their part towards the welfare and well-being of the citizens, and therefore the clarion call goes to all individuals and institutions.

She encouraged the various communities to also engage in self-help projects for their benefit without necessarily waiting on the District Assemblies to provide everything for them.

The Minister, however, stated that the Government remains committed to making education a priority and recognizes that it is one of the most powerful tools in building our society, advancing economic and social development to reduce poverty.

This, Madam Owusu Banahene said is evidenced by the expansion of educational infrastructure as well as access to basic education and the Free Senior High School Policy.

"I must admit that there is still a lot to do if we are to achieve universal primary education by 2030. All stakeholders must rally and put in efforts to eradicate the obstacles which are hindering the achievement of the Fourth Sustainable Development Goal.

Tain DCE, Dr. Loiusa Acheampong, urged all stakeholders to ensure proper maintenance while admonishing the pupils to avoid touching the wall to help keep the edifice for a long time for their benefit.

She assured the community that they would initiate steps to enroll the school in the School Feeding Programme.

On his part, Nana Asante Daah III, Kyidomhene of the Badu Traditional Council urged the children, especially the girl-child to make good use of the school to become useful in the future.