Birthday donation exposes poor infrastructure of Ohiamadwen primary school

The Ohiamadwen District Authority (DA) Primary School in the Shama District of Western Region is currently grappling with serious infrastructure challenges.

The school, as it stands now does not have any teachers' bungalow, office space, or storerooms to keep essential materials against thievery and damages.

Consequently, the school cannot boast of any computer laboratory, or science laboratory, among others due to the fear that the computers and laboratory equipment could be stolen.

The use of teachers' Bungalows to serve as alternative places for keeping school items, can not also be applied here since there is currently not a single teacher bungalow available to accommodate teachers in the school including the head teacher according to authorities of the institution.

Mr. Philip Adu Wilson, School Improvement Support Officer (SISO) of Assorko Essaman, whose jurisdiction the basic school falls, says, that anytime the school authorities think of establishing a computer laboratory, fear will grip them because of thieves who may take advantage of the insecurity in the school to steal school items.

"Thieves may steal computers and other equipment in the school once they leave them here since the school is on the outskirts of the community and none of the teachers stay around", he explained.

He added that "At least if we had two teachers' bungalows here, the teachers occupying the bungalows could have served as security for the school and guardians of the pupils, unfortunately, the school cannot boast of any residential accommodation for any teacher including the head teacher, therefore compounding our challenges"

Mr. Philip Adu Wilson, who engaged the Chairperson of the USA chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) when she donated assorted items to the Ohiamadwen primary school to mark her birthday said the teachers and pupils are more than grateful to the entrepreneur cum politician.

He appealed to the government and philanthropists to assist the school in the completion of an abandoned project earmarked and demarcated as a teachers' Bungalow for the Ohiamadwen D/A Primary School.

The SISO disclosed that the project, has been left to rot for over ten years now, and authorities have turned deaf ears to it despite seeing the infrastructure challenges currently confronting the school.

He said the lack of teacher bungalows and office space to keep school items remains a security threat to the properties of the school since the school is located on the outskirt of the community

He revealed that the school had decided to convert one of the classrooms into a computer laboratory, but still feared thieves could break into the classroom and steal the computers.

Madam Addisatu, the head teacher of the school, who received the donation on behalf of the peri-urban school, commended the donor for the kind gesture.

She also lauded the School Improvement Support Officer, for pointing out the challenges facing the school and the community.

She appealed to the NDC Chairperson to come back and support the school after listening to their predicaments "Like Oliver Twist, we will ask for more"

Maame Aba Dadzie, who donated learning materials worth over twenty thousand Ghana cedis (20,000) to the school as her widows might, said the NDC chapter in the United States of America will turn attention to institutions badly in need of infrastructure.

Maame Aba Dadzie said the small donation offered by the school, formed part of her birthday activities to glorify her maker for adding another year to her stock

Maame Aba Dadzie, while presenting the donation to the Ohiamadwen D/A primary school, said that education development remained a shared responsibility hence her personal support to the school and commitment to assist authorities to offer quality teaching and learning.

She said she felt happy helping the school and pupils and encouraged her colleagues to follow suit.