Pupils study in 'Death Trap' buildings

The lives of children of the Akpafu-Odomi Evangelical Presbyterian (E/P) Primary School in the Hohoe North District of the Volta region are in grave danger, following the current state of their school building which is near collapse.

The Akpafu-Odomi E/P Primary, Today learnt, was established about 75 years ago.

The school, which has not seen any major facelift since its establishment by the people of the community, has had its state further worsened after a rainstorm ripped of its roof, while part of the building was also brought down to its foundation.

Our team who visited the school recently observed that weeds and animals such as goats, cattle and sheep, and some packed concrete blocks were in serious competition for space with the school children.

The team also observed that palm branches had been used as roofing sheets to protect pupils and teachers from the direct contact of the scorching sun.

But the teachers and traditional authorities of Akpafu-Odomi Traditional Area headed by Nana Tetteh Otoo had no other choice but make do with the makeshift structure so as not to jeopardise the future of the pupils.

That terrible situation of the school, Today discovered, has given some of the teachers the leeway to engage the pupils on their farms.

Some teachers who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity told Today that all their efforts to get the authorities of the Hohoe District Assembly, Member of Parliament (MP) of the area, Dr. Mrs. Helu Adiku, Ghana Education Service (GES) and Ministry of Education to come to their aid had proved futile.

The school, Today also observed lacked other facilities including classrooms, tables and chairs, toilet, cardboards, as well as teaching and learning materials.

Conducting our reporters around the school on Saturday, the leader of the Akpafu-Odomi Progressive Youth Association, Mr. Samuel Kweku Ampong, explained that the situation of the school was giving them great pain and sorrow.

He noted that the future of the children was virtually in total jeopardy, since the condition of the school had forced most of the pupils to quit or go to private schools within and outside the area.

According to him, the school’s activities always come to a standstill anytime it rains. He therefore called on the government to, as matter of urgency, save the school from further deteriorating.

He indicated that though their persistent pressure on the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Hohoe North District Assembly, Dr. Mrs. Margaret Kweku, GES, ministry of education and the MP of the area, Dr. Mrs. Benice Adiku-Heloo, to do something about the situation had fallen on deaf ears, they would not be perturbed, but rather continue to push until a new school is built.

In an interview with Today, the youth of Akpafu-Odomi who did not mince words threatened to embark on a massive protest on Tuesday, August 5, 2015 if authorities fail to do something about the state of the school building.

Speaking on behalf of the youth, Mr. Ampong said, “We are determined to go on demonstration…come first week in August. It is going to take place if we do not see any sign that work has resumed on the Akpafu-Odomi road, EP Primary School and clinic.”

The youth also expressed worry that the Akpafu-Odomi community had been neglected by the central government and that, “we have observed that the people of the area in the Volta region have for too long been taken for granted.”

“Are we not part of this country or is it because this region is considered as ‘World Bank’ [during elections], for the ruling government and that is why we have been neglected”, the angry youth quizzed.