Education under siege in Awutu Senya East

Education is facing significant challenges in the Awutu Senya East Municipality of the Central Region, primarily due to overcrowding in public basic schools.

This overcrowding has compelled the municipality to implement a shift system in some schools.

About 35 schools in the municipality operate under this shift system because of high student enrollment. Notable institutions, such as Opeikuma Islamic School, Ofaakor Cluster, and Ofaakor Nahadatu, are affected by the overwhelming number of students. The overcrowding issue became particularly evident during the celebration of the 68th Independence Day Anniversary.

Some classrooms in the area contain more than 70 pupils each. According to the Municipal Education Director, Mrs. Faustina Alimatu Brimah, the shift system has resulted in a reduction of instructional hours and has not effectively resolved the congestion in classrooms. She cautioned that if urgent measures are not taken, many children in the municipality could face significant barriers to accessing basic education.

The Awutu Senya East Municipality was established in 2012, following its separation from the Awutu Senya District during the presidency of the late John Evans Atta Mills. Despite some progress in educational performance, Mrs. Brimah noted that the municipality is grappling with increasing levels of indiscipline in schools, which are largely driven by substance abuse and inadequate parental control. She linked this trend to the shift from corporal punishment to positive disciplinary methods.

“The transition from corporal punishment to positive disciplinary toolkits has not been fully effective, leading to a breakdown of discipline, particularly in our senior high schools,” she emphasised.