Teachers of the Asakulsi Primary School in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region say they are sitting on a timebomb. This is because the toilet and urinal facilities available for use by pupils at the school have become death traps.
When A1 News visited the school on January 18, 2022, after an SOS call by the Assembly Member for the Akonka-Akompaabiisi Electoral Area, Shaibu Apoore, huge cracks, could be seen along the walls of both facilities. The concrete slabs covering the reservoir dug to collect human waste had broken off thus exposing the waste materials to open air. Rains had also caused serious erosion under the building uncovering the foundation of the building and making it unsafe for use.
Concrete slabs broken, exposing human waste
Meanwhile, the interior of both the urinal and the toilet facilities had been taken over by weeds and were harbouring some insects and other critters. These are however the only facilities available for use during school hours.
The teachers who spoke to A1 News feared that it is only a matter of time until the entire structure caved in. They feared that the structure which is still deteriorating could cause serious harm to pupils and teachers who use it. They are thus calling on well-meaning organisations and individuals to go to the aid of the school.
Cracks in the walls of the urinal
The Assembly Member for the Akonka-Akompaabiisi Electoral Area, Shaibu Apoore who spoke exclusively to A1 News was unhappy that the many attempts to draw the attention of the Bongo District Assembly to the plight of the school had proved futile.
Meanwhile, as the 2022 Academic calendar begins, teachers and pupils of the Asakulsi Primary School are dreading their return to school. This is because the entire student population of about 140 students have to make do with less than 20 dual desks.
The situation is not any different for teachers of the school. The teachers have two benches and some worn-out chairs to sit on. There are however only two small tables for the 8 teachers that teach in the school.
Furniture for teachers
For parents, the lack of furniture at the Asakulsi Primary School is a nightmare. Parents have to spend more on soap and water to wash the uniforms of their wards. This is because the students have to spend more time sitting and sleeping on the floor to enable them to undertake their normal teaching and learning activities.
Also, when teachers showed up on the reopening day to the Asakulsi Primary School, January 18, 2022, as was directed by the Ghana Education Service (GES), they met only 10 out of the 140 students that are on the roll. The 10 who showed up were not even clad in school uniforms.
When A1 News visited the community, the teachers who spoke to the News Team on the basis of anonymity explained that the situation has remained the same for years. The teachers said they usually have to go to the homes of the children to ‘chase’ them to school. They said this makes their work extremely difficult. The situation is worsened by parents who are not incentivised to compel their children to go to school because of the lack of furniture and other teaching and learning materials.
A1radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
