Kassena-Nankana West: Teachers, students vacate school after storm ripped off roof

Correspondence from Upper East

Teachers and students of Boania Junior High School in the Kassena-Nankana West District have vacated their school following a rain damage to its roof last month.

The abandonment follows the unavailability of classrooms where teaching and learning can take place.

Huge gaps in the roof resulting from the destruction have exposed the classrooms to the direct rays of the sun. There is also the frequent fall off of pieces of wood and mud lumps from the dilapidated structure.

These, collectively have made sitting in the classrooms both uncomfortable and risky.

When GhanaWeb visited the school, the classrooms were empty. The loose zinc roofing sheets were dangling dangerously. There was a layer of dust on the desks in the abandoned classrooms, an indication that there has been no activity in the school for some time.

It was gathered that the Teachers and students abandoned the school immediately the disaster stroke.

Some of the students in the community who spoke to GhanaWeb said they chose to stay home because of the life-threatening nature of the structure.

They said aside the wrecked roof with the sheets and wood hanging dangerously, the structure itself has developed some weakness and that puts their lives in danger. They said the structure was particularly dangerous in the rainy season when the entire structure gets soaked.



Wedam Kokise, a student said, “this is why today I didn’t come to school. The wind came and destroyed our school and the zinc is hanging.”

Another student who begged anonymity, said, “I cannot come to school and sit in this classroom. There is dust and rubbers in all the places. The wood and zinc are dangerous to us. So, it is better to stay at home.”

The students said they would return to school only when a decent place is provided for them by authorities. They appealed to government to come to their aid so that they can go back to school soonest.

“I want to beg the government to come and build the school for us.”

Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive, Gerard Ataogye, who granted an interview to GhanaWeb on the development has indicated that efforts are underway to fix the problem.

He said the assembly is compiling a report on the damage and would soon move to action when that is done. He mentioned that it was the target of the assembly to complete an abandoned 3-unit classroom facility built by the National Development Authority (NDA).

He said once that is completed, the Junior High School will be moved there permanently. He urged the community to keep calm as the assembly worked around the clock to fix the problem.