P1 pupils studying under trees along the highway
Pupils of Mangotideke Methodist Model School in the Agotime-Ziope District of the Volta Region, are compelled to study under trees along the Ho-Aflao highway since the school has no classroom facilities.
The school which was established about three years ago to address the educational needs of children in the small farming community -Mangotideke, has a total students population of 70. Pupils in P1 and P2 as a result, are forced to have their studies under the mercy of shades of trees along the highway.
Vehicular activities hinder effective teaching and learning as the pupils at almost every point in time, turns to wave and cheer on cars plying the stretch.
There are three other classes housed in a church building with no partition, a situation that disrupts the concentration of the pupils especially during periods that teaching is going on concurrently.
The headteacher Rebecca Rocco laments the situation is taking a toll on their work.
“The biggest challenge for us is the issue of classroom because we don’t have any classroom. So far, five classes are in the church building, then another two under the trees here. In the church building, if teaching and learning is ongoing there is distraction every now and then, so the pupils find it difficult to concentrate. If the rain starts we let the two classes under the trees join their colleagues in the church building”, she disclosed.
“Even under the trees here if a car is passing by, the pupils turn to look and wave the cars making things very difficult for us, in fact we are really suffering”.
“We have a staff population of seven, no office, no store so we keep our books and other stationaries in the church”, she added.
While she anticipates having an additional class (P4) next academic year, she fears it may complicate issues.
A 3-unit classroom block that was started by an individual sometime ago has also been abandoned along the line just at the foundation level.
She added further that the school is also confronted with water challenges especially during the dry season, as the only source of water to the school is a borehole that serves the whole community but becomes dysfunctional frequently.
“Water too, there’s no water, there’s a borehole there that serves the whole community but becomes non-functional frequently. For now, the rains are in but in the dry season the water you see our pupils drinking is unhygienic and dirty”.
The school also does not have adequate desk/table and chair to accommodate the pupils in class.
She disclosed that attempts to get the Methodist Education Unit to address the infrastructure challenges of the school has not yielded any positive action.
