Infrastructure deficit hits Esiama SECTEC; students sleep in ICT lab, classrooms

Correspondence from the Western Region

The Development Chief (Nkosohene) of Esiama and former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Gas Company, Dr George Sipa-Yankey, has decried the infrastructure deficit at Esiama Secondary Technical School (SECTEC) in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, where some students are compelled to sleep in the ICT laboratory and classrooms due to inadequate dormitories.

Dr Sipa-Yankey, who led the country to construct the gas processing plant at Atuabo in the Ellembelle District, expressed concern when he joined the Chief of Esiama, Nana Ainoo Kwagyan III, and Elders of Esiama to visit the school to assess its needs as part of activities marking the Kundum festival.

During the visit, GhanaWeb's Western Regional Correspondent observed that due to insufficient dormitories, some students were compelled to sleep in the ICT laboratory and classrooms.

It was also observed that some classrooms were congested due to inadequate classroom blocks and that the science laboratory was not well equipped.

The situation could pose a serious health risk for the students if it is not urgently resolved.

According to the school authorities, the school's population has increased to over 1,500 due to the introduction of the Free Senior High School policy, with girls alone accounting for over 700.

Ghana Gas projects

Dr Sipa-Yankey said the new boys' dormitory block being constructed for the school by the Ghana National Gas Company was through his personal efforts when he lobbied the former Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ben Asante.

The project stalled along the way due to financial constraints, but the current Chief Executive Officer, Judith Adjobah Blay and her management, had continued with it and it was about 80 per cent complete.

He said the Ghana National Gas Company was also building a teachers' bungalow for the school as part of the boys' dormitory project.

Dr Sipa-Yankey thanked the company for its consideration for the students of Esiama SECTEC and expressed optimism that the company would complete the projects on schedule to help address the accommodation challenges facing the school.

Other Challenges

The authorities said other challenges include inadequate classroom blocks leading to congestion, inadequate furniture such as tables and benches for dining and desks for academic work, lack of computers in the ICT laboratory, lack of a library, and an ill-equipped science laboratory.

Dr Sipa-Yankey said the current structure being used as a science laboratory did not befit the status of the school and described the computer laboratory as being in a very bad state.

He said he would engage the Ghana Education Trust Fund and the Ministry of Education for intervention.

Adamus Resources support

Dr Sipa-Yankey commended Adamus Resources for its support to the school, saying the community appreciated anyone who came to the aid of the school.

He said the company, through its Chief Executive Officer, Angela List, had donated some furniture and shoes to the school and the students.

He expressed gratitude to the company and its CEO for the gesture, stressing the need to appreciate benefactors to encourage them to continue supporting the school and other schools in the area.

Advice To Students

Dr Sipa-Yankey advised the students to be disciplined, saying discipline was key to success.

He urged them not to embark on demonstrations but to channel their grievances through the Students' Representative Council.

He told the students that the community loved them and wanted them to succeed and that their current level should not be their final destination.

He encouraged them to study hard to continue to the University of Ghana, Legon, the University for Development Studies, the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration and other tertiary institutions.

He said the best legacy parents could leave for their children was education, adding that with education they could achieve whatever they wanted in life.

Chief Appeals For Support

Nana Ainoo Kwagyan III said he was aware of the challenges facing the school and that as a leader, the best he could do was to seek support for the school.

He appealed to ENI, public-spirited individuals, and other government agencies such as GoldBod to come to the assistance of the school.

He attributed the headmaster's achievements within six months in office to the cooperation of students and teachers and assured the school of his continued support.

Students Express Gratitude, Appeal To Government

Some of the students expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Chief, the Development Chief (Nkosohene), and other opinion leaders of Esiama for visiting the school to see how they were suffering.

They, therefore, appealed to the government to, as a matter of urgency, come to their aid to address the challenges facing the school.