Vice President John Dramani Mahama has said the government is on course to eliminate schools under trees by 2012. He said over 1,000 basic schools were put up last year and government is targeting to build an additional 1,500 this year for Ghanaians to access good quality education, irrespective of their geographical location. The Vice President noted government recognizes the pivotal role of education in the development of the country, and has therefore increased its investment in the sector. Luv FM’s Elton John Brobbey reports that the Vice-President was addressing students of Ejisuman Senior High School in the Ashanti Region. Mr Mahama said about 4,000 schools across the country are currently under trees and that removing them was a priority for the NDC government. The Ejisuman Senior High School has never received any government support since its establishment in 1970 and the Vice-President found this most unfortunate. “Indeed I was shocked when the headmaster said you have not received any GETFund project since this school was instituted. It is absolutely negligent on our part that this school has not received any GETFund project,” he said. Mr Mahama said government had realised the bulk of GETFund projects went to tertiary schools to the neglect of the basic and second cycle levels of education. Therefore, “a decision was taken, that we should reverse the trend and ensure that the bulk of investment of the GETFund goes to the basic and secondary level and a smaller percentage to the tertiary level. This has been implemented and now a lot of investment is going into the basic and secondary levels.” The headmaster of the school, Rev. Collins Oppong Anane appealed to the government for a vehicle for the school. He also asked for additional classrooms to accommodate the students. Source: Joy News/Ghana