Over 500 students learning under trees at Swedru

More than 500 Form One students of the Swedru School of Business (SWESBUS) are currently learning under trees and on the visitors' lounge due to inadequate classrooms.

This came to light when a team of journalists visited the school on Monday upon numerous complaints received from some parents and students of the school.

At about 0945 hours when the news team got there, One Arts Three students were sitting under trees on the school compound while others were studying at the dining hall and visitors’ lounge that had been converted into classrooms.

Some of the students who spoke to the team made a passionate appeal to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene in the situation and rescue them.

They said studying in an open space under trees was not conducive for effective learning, adding that whenever it threatened to rain, teaching and learning had to be suspended.

According to the students, on Friday, January 25 this year, classes had to be suspended because it rained.

They appealed to the Agona West Municipal Assembly, corporate bodies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) and other well-to-do citizens of Agona resident at home and abroad to come to the aid of the school.

According to them, the situation had also compelled the authorities of the school to turn some of the existing classrooms into dormitories to accommodate female students, while their chop boxes and trunks had been packed on the veranda.

They said although the government and the Assembly had jointly constructed a six-classroom block for the school, it was not sufficient to accommodate all the students.

One of the tutors who spoke to the team on condition of anonymity, told reporters that it had become difficult for the teachers to organize mock exams for final year students who were about to complete school in June this year.

According to the tutor, the students were supposed to be in groups of 30 to a classroom to ensure effective supervision, but it has become impossible due to inadequate structures.

He said the school was constructing a six-classroom block with its Internally Generated Fund (IGF) with the support of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).

The tutor appealed for the construction of masters’ bungalows, dormitories, classrooms and other structures to properly accommodate the student population of 2,800 and to enhance effective teaching and learning.