Sunyani School faces ejection

Sunyani (B/A) Sept. 22, GNA - Fear and panic have gripped teachers and students of "J" Seventh Day Adventist Junior Secondary School in Sunyani following a threat by the Municipal Directorate of Education to seek the assistance of the police to eject the school from the premises.

When the GNA visited the school's premises on Wednesday, panic-stricken parents had besieged the school compound to protect their children against any brutalities.

Mr. Philip Antwi Bediako, a 46-year old farmer said he abandoned his trip to the farm to come to the school to protect his three children.

The Reverend Emmanuel W. Kusi, Municipal Director of Education in a letter dated September 15, 2005 addressed to Mr. Charles Amaning Danso, Regional Manager of the SDA Educational Unit and copied to the Head Pastor of the SDA Church said the directorate was taking the action because "the building was released to the church to temporarily accommodate the school."

The Church has, however, in an interview denied the Municipal Director's claim, saying a meeting with him (Municipal Director) was on the offer of a four classroom block by the then Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Ignatius Baffour Awuah, now the Deputy Regional Minister. Mr. Danso stated that Rev. Kusi explained at a meeting that since urban council schools

in Sunyani were few and officers transferred to Sunyani with their spouses who are teachers found it difficult getting schools to teach in, he would allocate a parcel of land at the site for the SDA church to put up a JSS block but had failed to honour the promise.

He noted that the action of the MDE was "a stab at the back of the government's educational policy of partnership in the training of the Ghanaian child.

"The consequence, which will be enormous, will bring untold hardship to pupils, their parents, the community and the country", the Regional Manager added.

Mr. Kwame Twumasi Awuah, the MCE and Mr. Zumpala Peter Lacidio, Headmaster of the school when contacted denied receiving copies of the ejection letter from Rev. Kusi.