Mrs Winifred Dy-Yakah, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, at the weekend called on past students of senior high Schools to devise strategies that would encourage young graduates to teach in these schools.
She observed that many graduates were showing a gradual disinterest in teaching, and preferred to move to other areas termed as lucrative, while experienced acquired in teaching was being lost as experienced graduate teachers were also leaving the schools.
"The worst victims appear to be those of us from the North because already our schools do not attract teachers and the few available also decide to leave and we suffer most," she said at the launch of the Saint Francis Girls Senior High School golden jubilee celebration at Jirapa.
The School which is the only Girls Senior High School in the Upper West Region and the third oldest SHS in the north was established in September 1959 by the Catholic Church.
It began with only six girls and its products could be found in all the ten regions of the country contributing to national development in diverse ways.
The year-long celebration, which would reach its climax in September, next year has the theme; "Fifty years of quality catholic education; empowering the Girl Child".
Mrs Dy-Yakah said the government placed high premium on education and empowerment of women, placing them at the centre stage of decision making process in various spheres of the nation's economic and political landscape.
She commended the Catholic Church for the exceptional role it had played in the development of the region especially in the educational sector.
She also praised both past and present heads of the school for the disciplined behaviour they imparted to the students over the years.
"It is a matter of joy that we have hardily heard of any disturbance in this school," she stated.
Reverend Sister Janis Gbiel, Headmistress of the School said the quality of some of the grades notwithstanding, final year students of the school had since 2000 been recording 100 per cent success at the Senior School Certificate Examinations.
She mentioned the lack of adequate water to serve the students and staff as the major challenge facing the school, adding that, if this was resolved, the school would be in position to admit more students.
The school also lacked a proper administration block, a result of which confidential matters could not be discussed in the improvised structure that was currently serving as administration block.