CAPÍTULO 2. MARCO TEÓRICO
2.4 La Formación Docente en la educación básica
This section provides a description of the physical and social environment of the UWR enabling one to have a greater comprehension of the contextual features influencing access to maternal health facilities. This section begins by locating the study site (Figure 3) and describing the physical characteristics of the region. Proceeding is a description of the regional
demographics and access to health care, highlighting the significant discrepancies between the Upper West Region and the rest of Ghana.
In 1957 Ghana became the first SSA country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Until July 1960, the UWR was previously part of the Upper Region, which was itself part of the Northern Region. Pursuing a policy of decentralization, in 1983 the government of Ghana divided the Upper Region into the Upper West and Upper East region. The UWR spans 18,478
kilometers, and accounts for 7.7% of Ghana’s total land area (GSS, 2012). Figure 3 illustrates the geographic location of the UWR, which is bordered on the North by the Republic of Burkina
Faso, on the East by the Upper East Region, on the South by the Northern Region West by Cote D’Iovoire.
The region is located in
soils limiting crop production, which consist primarily of yam, groundnuts, guinea, maize and beans. Major economic trees are mango, sawadawa, and sheanut. Nonetheless, cash crop
production is generally poor, resulting in seasonal food insecurity. The single rainy season in the region restricts farmers to a single harvest, in contrast to the southern region, where two harvests generally occur. Further, bushfires are common in the region, despit
typically caused by poor hunting practices and land preparation
Produced by the Cartographic Section, Department of Geography, Western University, 2012 Faso, on the East by the Upper East Region, on the South by the Northern Region
The region is located in the guinea savannah vegetation belt, with low rainfall and dry soils limiting crop production, which consist primarily of yam, groundnuts, guinea, maize and beans. Major economic trees are mango, sawadawa, and sheanut. Nonetheless, cash crop
generally poor, resulting in seasonal food insecurity. The single rainy season in the region restricts farmers to a single harvest, in contrast to the southern region, where two harvests generally occur. Further, bushfires are common in the region, despite efforts to stop them, typically caused by poor hunting practices and land preparation (Songsore & Denkabe, 1996)
Figure 3: Study Location
Produced by the Cartographic Section, Department of Geography, Western University, 2012 Faso, on the East by the Upper East Region, on the South by the Northern Region, and on the
the guinea savannah vegetation belt, with low rainfall and dry soils limiting crop production, which consist primarily of yam, groundnuts, guinea, maize and beans. Major economic trees are mango, sawadawa, and sheanut. Nonetheless, cash crop
generally poor, resulting in seasonal food insecurity. The single rainy season in the region restricts farmers to a single harvest, in contrast to the southern region, where two harvests
e efforts to stop them, (Songsore & Denkabe, 1996).
The regional climate consists of two seasons, the wet and dry seasons, with the dry beginning in early November and lasting until June, while the wet begins in July bringing warmer weather and rainfall. The wet season has begun to occur later in the year, near the beginning of July creating increasing problems of food insecurity and drought. This in turn has led to male residents to migrate to the south in search of more viable economic opportunities (Adjasi & Osei, 2007). Precipitation during the rainy season is usually in the form of sporadic and intense storms, with large amounts of rain falling in short periods of time, typically no longer than one or two hours, accumulating annually to 100-150 centimeters. The intensity of the storms leads to increased erosion and runoff in the area. The regional temperature ranges from 40°C during the day and 15°C at night (Songsore & Denkabe, 1995).
The Regional Co-ordination Council is the main political and administrative authority, located in the regional capital city of Wa. The region currently has nine political administrative regions which are: Jirapa, Lambusse, Lawra, Nadowli, Sissala East, Sissala West, Wa East, Wa Municipal, and Wa West (GHS, 2009).
Only 12.5 percent of UWR roads are tarred, with most in poor condition. Most roads are narrow, unpaved, and lack adequate drainage. In rural areas, roads become impassible in the rainy season, making certain areas vulnerable to erosion (ASIRT, 2014). There is a small airstrip in the regional capital but is rarely used, as there are no commercial flights servicing the area. The predominant means of transport used by residents is travelling by road using tro-tros1,
motorcycles or bicycles. The region currently has five FM radio stations and two television networks that broadcast in English and in local languages (Dagaare, Waale, and Sissali). Further, telephone and fax facilities exist in eight of the nine districts, with all the district capitals and
1
A tro-tro is a commonly used form of public transportation throughout Ghana. It typically consists of a passenger van operated by a driver and an assistant. Fares are non-negotiable, based upon distance travelled, ad are paid in cash. While departures are loosely scheduled, most tro-tros do not leave for their
most of the surrounding villages having limited cellular network coverage provided by the three companies operating in the area.