Mawuli School now under trees

Mawuli Senior High School, one of the revered and ancient second cycle institutions in the country and very popular in the country, is currently facing serious infrastructure problems.

The school, which was established by the Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church and later absorbed by the government, has a total population of 2, 219 students, and as a result of the increased population, the students can no longer use the old assembly hall, a situation that compelled the government to build a modern assembly hall to accommodate the increased number of students.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Chronicle in Ho, the Headmaster, Mr. Paul Osei Nyansah, noted that the project, which started in 2010 under the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), had almost been completed, but left at the roofing stage.

Mr. Nyansah explained that the infrastructure problem in the school had compelled the school authorities to organise major school gatherings under trees, such as assembly and church services. The Headmaster continued that every morning, assembly and church services have to be held under trees, because the old assembly hall also served as a dining hall.

Mr. Nyansah pointed out that organising assembly and church service under trees normally takes some time, as the students have to carry chairs to and from these gatherings, resulting in their missing their first lessons of the day. He, therefore, appealed to the government to, as a matter of urgency, help complete the project early to save the school from the difficulties it was going through.

He further said that the students could start using the facility immediately it was roofed, while work continued, because the school had no alternative. The Headmaster said the school was living dangerously in view of the situation it found itself, for a tree could fall on the teachers or students anytime, but for the mercies of the Creator, no such incident had happened.

Mr. Nyansah also expressed concern about the furniture problem confronting the school. He said that the government had provided 18 classrooms, but no provision was made for furniture.

The School Prefect, Master Emmanuel Nyade, said the situation was of major concern to the authorities, because students used only 15 minutes in arranging chairs in the old hall, but carrying the same chairs and arranging them under the trees takes one hour, and urged the government to help complete the new assembly hall.