Esienkyem-Bonsukrom school cries for help

Esienkyem-Bonsukrom (Ash), Feb. 24, GNA - An appeal has gone to the government and Ahafo Ano South District Assembly to provide Esienkyem-Bonsukrom with better educational infrastructure and teachers's accommodation.

Teachers of the school who made the appeal said the classrooms are virtually death traps, while all four of them were in a single room of a cocoa shed belonging to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD). The situation they said had reached a stage where there was an urgent need for something to be done about it. This came to light during a three-day Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) programme in the town, which was facilitated by the Ahafo Ano South District Education Directorate.

The programme was designed to equip the people with the requisite skills to initiate improvements in schools under the school performance improvement plan. Under the plan, about 131 communities in the district are expected to improve upon the standard of education in the communities.

Nana Kofi Adjei, Chief of the town said the primary school was built about 21 years ago and since then it has not seen any renovation, rehabilitation or expansion. He said the district assembly had provided classroom blocks for the various communities but left out the town and therefore, appealed to the assembly, the government and the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and non-governmental organisation to come to the aid of the town.

Nana Tabiri Gyansah III, paramount chief of Mpasaso called for peace, unity and understanding in the area to ensure speedy development.

Mr. Alfred Darko, the head teacher of the school said the school had a total enrolment of 150 children but that due to inadequate classroom accommodation, some of the classes have had to be combined, thereby leading to ineffective teaching and learning. Mr. Atsu Mensah, head teacher of Ahwerewam Junior Secondary School, who led the PLA team, commended the community for embracing the programme and urged the teachers to continue to sacrifice for the sake of the children.