Klamadaboe: The village where pupils risk their lives in death-trap classrooms to learn

Pupils of the D/A primary school at Klamadaboe, a village near Torgome of the North Tongu constituency in the Volta region risk their lives daily to learn.

The classroom was constructed in the quest to make education accessible to children to learn but the story of the school was different when Kojo Emmanuel visited the village.

The school building has not seen any major renovation and has deteriorated when the roofing of the removed which has now become a death trap.

The poor state of the school building coupled with the tattered roofs force teachers to abruptly end teaching whenever the clouds gather.

The classrooms are terrible for teaching and learning.

Teachers were not found upon the visit. Schoolchildren report to school at 8:00 am and close at 1:00 pm.

Residents said teachers are reluctant to accept posting to the school due to the poor state.

There is a daily scramble over the ten desks for the pupils.

Pupils who are unable to make it to school early to reserve a desk for themselves before class sessions either perch their colleagues or embrace the discomfort that comes with sitting on the improvised seat, a pile of wooden boards.

Academic work does not only grind to a halt at the sight of clouds because of the collapsing structure part of which has been ripped off already, but the pupil returns to school to meet drenched desks and an ardours task of draining water from their classroom.

The school is also faced with inadequate teaching and learning materials.

Some of the classrooms have been turned into public toilets.

A number of the beams and rafters with which the structure has been roofed have rotted and are loosely hanging on top of the classrooms.

Because of this, portions of the classrooms have been designated as danger zones where pupils have been barred from sitting as a measure to make room for the fall.

The village by extension is deprived of potable water, healthcare facility, and access to good roads for farmers to transport their farm produce to market centers with ease.

No infrastructure project has been extended as the village is cut off as if they are not part of Ghana where they vote and have a Member of Parliament who is Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and a District Chief Executive Officer.

No bungalow for teachers

The lack of adequate accommodation for teachers in Klamadaboe has also contributed greatly to frequent absenteeism on the part of teachers who commuted daily to the town from other destinations.

Teachers travel all the way from Juapong which is about 25km to Klamadaboe to teach.

The situation which was hampering academic work, has been a source of concern to parents and guardians in Klamadaboe.

The situation had compelled some teachers to report to school twice a week while others who could not afford the exorbitant Okada fares charged plying the area absented themselves from school frequently.

Some residents who spoke to Kojo Emmanuel appealed to individuals, district assembly, Churches and other organisations, and the government to collaborate and build a bungalow for teachers in the village.

No school feeding for children

The school feeding programme which is a proven strategy to reduce child hunger and improve school attendance and academic performance has not been extended to the school in Klamadaboe.