The Deputy Minister of Education, Mahama Ayariga has stated that a dysfunctional educational system is the greatest threat to any nation’s security. Mr. Ayariga who was speaking to teachers, students, pupils and education workers and community leaders at a durbar in Tamale, said that a dysfunctional public education system that produces unskilled and functionally illiterate youth and adults unsuitable for employment is the greatest threat to national security and not small arms proliferation or ethnic conflict. He said it is this constituency that breeds violence, crime and insecurity whilst retarding development. He assured the teachers and pupils that if they committed themselves to the measures proposed by the ministry to better prepare BECE candidates for 2012, Ghana should see better results. These new measures include greater discipline among teachers and pupils and extra tuition. He promised that the Ministry of Education would provide the support needed to realise the implementation of these measures. The Deputy Minister asked for the commitment of parents and communities to the initiatives. The pupils received the proposed measures with great enthusiasm but teachers said they need to be motivated to put out their best. The deputy minister was to hold a similar forum in Savelugu District later in the day. The meeting marked the first leg of a tour of the three Northern regions in a bid to halt the massive failures that BECE candidates suffer at the exams. Mr. Ayariga is leading a government task force to meet with stakeholders to discuss the implementation of plans by government to reverse the poor BECE results.