The secretary of the Western Regional branch of the Ghana National Association of Teachers, (GNAT) Mr John G. Amamoo, has asked the Ghana Education Service to review the teacher replacement system to promote quality education. He said: "Vacancies in the classrooms in the region have assumed a dimension that is so disturbing and alarming. The main cause is the rampant GES teacher-replacement, which leaves many classrooms unattended." He made the call when addressing teachers drawn from the 17 districts of the region at Fijai to brief them on the introduction of the single spine salary structure. He said the teacher replacement system needed urgent changes in order to address the pertinent problems that were having negative effect on the quality of education. He cited the worst affected areas as Sefwi Juaboso, Sefwi Akotombrah, Enchi, Asankrangwa, Ankwaaso, Srahaayen, Nyamekrom Kyenyen, Nkwanta, Mumuni and Woman No Cry. He said: "It is indeed not uncommon to see only one or two teachers manning a whole primary school and the unfortunate pupils in such schools would have to compete and write the same examination with those from well endowed schools." Mr Amamoo warned that if the situation was not given the immediate attention there would be a wide gap between the well endowed schools and the deprived schools. On the single spine salary, he claimed the exercise was aimed at raising teaching staff from a disadvantaged position to an advantageous one. Mr Ahenakwa Quarshie of the Department of the Salaries, Terms and Conditions at the GES, also explained what had necessitated the single spine salary exercise. He said that all discrepancies in the system would be addressed by the new salary structure. Source: GNA