School children jubilate over new classroom block

There was a spontaneous jubilation among pupils and students of the Nkwaeso Seventh Day Adventist primary and Junior High School in the Techiman Municipality when a newly constructed three-unit classroom block was handed-over to the school.

The forms two and three students had been studying under trees since 2010 when the school was started because of inadequate classrooms, a situation according to the School authorities impeded academic work.

Classes, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered was always ineffective during the rainy seasons because of the appalling condition and teachers also sat under tress to mark exercises.

Initially, the school authorities held classes in a dilapidated structure for the forms one and two students, but they were compelled to move the children out of the building because it was a death trap.

Touched by the plight of the school children, Mr. John Donyina, the Techiman Municipal Chief Executive, officially handed keys to the classrooms, which was about 98 per cent complete, to the school authorities for the children to move in.

It cost the Assembly GHC100,000.00 for the construction of the block and work on a four-seater toilet facility attached to it was progressing steadily.

The about 71 students could not hide their joy on Monday, as they carried their tables and chairs to the new classroom block.

Ms. Philippa Ankoye, a form three student told the GNA in an interview that because the School was situated close to the road, noise caused by vehicles distracted teaching and learning.

Ms Anokye expressed appreciation to the Techiman Municipal Chief Executive and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for completing the classroom block.

Mr. Donyina later told the GNA that work on the project started in 2015 but the contractor abandoned it due to lack of funds.

It was expected to be completed within 12 months.

He said due to the condition the students and teachers were going through, his outfit quickly mobilised some funds internally to complete the classroom block for the School.

Mr. Donyina indicated that since he assumed duty, he had personally taken inventory of many schools in the Municipality where the children also studied under trees and assured that the Assembly would try to provide classroom accommodation to such deprived schools.

He emphasised that since quality education was a key to success, the Assembly would endeavour to improve on school infrastructure and provide deprived schools with the necessary materials for effective teaching and learning.

Though, Mr. Hayford Agyarko, the Headmaster of the School was not available, one of the teachers told the GNA on condition of anonymity that the school needed to be walled.

He expressed concern about the poor sanitary facilities in the School and appealed to the Assembly to construct urinals and toilet for the students.