Students of Baapelug Junior High School in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region are not only studying under a dilapidated school structure but are usually forced to run back to their various homes anytime it threatens to rain.
The devastating situation the students say has caused many of their colleagues to give up on their education and have to go to the southern sectors in search of greener pastures.
Speaking to A1 Radio, the students could not fathom the continuous neglects by the Talensi District Assembly to come to their aid since last year, despite the numerous letters and calls made to them.
One student noted that “Anytime I am coming to school I usually get scared of the rip-off roof because anytime a wind blows through it, you could hear the sound of the sheets. It is dangerous to stay in a structure like that.”
Another student added that he normally felt bad coming to school based on the dilapidated structure.
He said “The current state of the school is very bad and not appealing for students to stay and learn. I and my colleagues mostly sit on the floor to learn and looking at the walls of the school, every single wall is cracked, and we need a new structure.”
The students, however, are calling on private individuals or benevolent organizations to come to their aid since the government has neglected them for the past year.
When A1 Radio contacted the school authorities, they refused to speak on tape with fear of victimization but noted that they have made several appeals to the District Director of the Ghana Education Service but to no avail.
They added that since last year, they have been writing letters upon letters to the various stakeholders in education yet nothing good has come out of such letters hence have coiled back.
In an interview with the District Director of the Ghana Education Service, Madam Emilia Adisa, noted that she indeed received letters from the school authorities but she has equally forwarded them to the District Assembly.
Madam Emilia who refused to comment on the issue on tape added that she has made follow-ups to the Assembly since last year, and still hoped something good will come out from them.
Meanwhile the Assemblymember of the Baare electoral area, Osman Abubakar Abengo also told A1 Radio that he has made several attempts to get the attention of the Assembly to work on the situation but to no avail.
According to Osman, his efforts with the Assembly seems like that of “someone who is trying to ride a bicycle to the sky.”
He said “I have followed this issue and now became tired of it. I don’t know what to do again. It seems the assembly has neglected the predicament of the students. Let me tell you, for me, it is not only about re-roofing the school but the structure in question is not good. I pray that the new assembly that will be constituted will help solve matters.”
Also when A1 Radio visited the District Assembly, the acting District Chief Executive, Christopher Boatbil who failed to comment on the issue, directed the crew to speak with the district engineer.
The District Engineer also refused to speak to the matter on tape with the saying that “…as technocrats, they were not allowed by their bosses to speak to the media” though he admitted to knowing the predicament of the students.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Moses Apiah|Ghana
This is shameful on the part of the assembly