Lassia-Tuolu SHS in dire need of water
Lassia, (UWR), Aug. 1, GNA - Lassia-Tuolu Senior High School (SHS), the only SHS in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region is in dire need of potable water.
The Catholic Church, which established the school in 1995, depended on solar energy to pump water to a reservoir for the school due to the absence of electricity at the time.
The solar panels are now old and weak and cannot generate the needed power to pump the water to the reservoir, creating water problems in the school.
Rev. Matthew Tuurosong, Headmaster of the school made this known during the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the School at Lassia-Tuolu.
He appealed to government, Non-Governmental Organisations and philanthropists to support the school to connect to the national grid to power the facility to its full pumping capacity.
He said although the school currently has six boreholes, only one was functioning properly; a situation, which compels students to move outside campus to search for water from unsafe sources to the detriment of academic work.
The Headmaster also mentioned the lack of transport, residential accommodation for staff and students, classroom space and a security fence wall, as some of the challenges confronting the school that needed urgent attention to help ensure the security of students and teachers and promote academic performance.
Rev. Tuurosong noted however that, the school had defied all odds and had grown over the twenty-year period to become one of the finest and best schools, not only in the region but also in Ghana.
He said since its establishment in 1995 with a total population of 118, the school had grown over the years and currently has a population of 897 students, adding that, the school had also maintained a 100 per cent pass record for several years now.
The Headmaster acknowledged government, the Most Rev. Dr. Paul Bemile, the Bishop of Wa Diocese, Mr. Andrew Kpan, first Headmaster of the School, Mr. Joseph Yiele Chireh, Member of Parliament for the Wa West Constituency, the GETFund, the Wa West District Assembly and the Regional Education Directorate among others for their immense support to the school.
He said the school survived those challenges over the years to reach this far because of the numerous sacrifices, support and contributions they made to the school.
The Most Rev. Dr. Bemile advised that, the school should not only grow in numbers but also continue to grow in quality education, which according to him, was necessary for nation building.
He said growing from a very humble beginning to where it is now was commendable and urged them to continue taking their spiritual activities seriously 'since a family that prayed together stayed together.'
Dr. Musheibu Mohammed Alfa, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister was enthused by the school's high level of discipline and academic excellence, 'despite its location in a remote district in a very remote community.'
He told the students to consider themselves as agents for national development, and that; they could achieve more by learning and obeying their teachers, as well as abiding by the school rules and regulations.
Mr. Adamu Dasaana, Wa West District Chief Executive (DCE) pledged the Assembly's commitment to continue assisting the school to address some of its challenges.