Ten SHSs in Eastern Region to have face-lift

Ten Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the Eastern Region, are to receive massive infrastructural development from government, to boost teaching and learning, by the end of the year.

The beneficiary schools are Apeguso, Suhum Islamic Girls, Ghana National (Ghanass),Osino, Akwamuman, Abuakwa State College, St Paul’s and Akwatia Technical and the Okuapmen Senior High Schools.

Among the projects awarded on contract are a two-storey dormitory block for Suhum Islamic Girls, dining hall and kitchen for Ghanass, two-storey dormitory block for Osino SHS, a 20-seater water closet for Akwamuman SHS, while the rest would benefit from two-storey classroom blocks each.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Antwi-Boasiako Sekyere who announced this at the 58th Speech and Prize-Giving Day of the Okuapeman School at Akropong, said the 2.9-kilometre road in the school, would be re-constructed, as well as other access roads as part of the infrastructural projects.

He indicated that the move was to facilitate the movement of the blind students in the Okuapeman School, following a request made by the school, and to improve conditions at the other beneficiary schools of the projects.

According to the Regional Minister, in addition to the infrastructural projects, about 2,000 mono desks would be supplied to some selected junior and senior high schools to ensure adequate space for all students.

He also indicated that work on the public University to be sited in the Eastern Region at Somanya, was on course, and urged teachers and parents whom he described as critical stakeholders in education to step up their roles.

The headmaster of the school, Mr Daniel Afari said, the WASSCE results for the 2014 academic year was impressive, adding that the school presented 630 candidates with 242 students passing in all eight subjects, whilst 235 passed in seven subjects, with only one failure.

Again, he said the school competed in the National Maths and Science Quiz 2013/2014 competitions at the regional level, and took the first position with the highest marks of 46 out of 50, and has been selected to represent the Eastern Region at the National level of the completion.

Mr Afari said, however, that the school’s existence was under threat by a claim of the school’s 435-acre land, with a court ruling ordering the school to cede over 390 acres of the land to a family from Larteh, leaving the school with only 37 acres.

He said per the ruling, the school’s administration block, assembly and dining halls, the headmaster and staff bungalows, girls dormitory block and other school properties, are all situated on the 390-acre family land.

The headmaster, therefore, appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to intervene to ensure that the school maintained its original land which it had occupied for over 58 years.