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04.05.2005 Regional News

Fire destroys thatched roof of school building

04.05.2005 LISTEN
By GNA

Hohoe, May 4, GNA - The plight of about 160 pupils of St Francis Demonstration Primary School at Hohoe-Bla, has been worsened, as the temporary thatched shed, which serves as classrooms was raze to the ground by fire at the weekend.

Mr Alexander Hevi, Headteacher of the school speaking to journalists on Tuesday at Hohoe said he suspected the fire to be work of scooting thugs, who usually patronise the premises after school to engaged in their nefarious activities.

He said the woes of the school continue to deepen as these thugs kept on using the premises as a place of convenience. He said several appeals to them to refrain from such acts were ignored. They defecate anywhere they deem fit and appropriate after getting intoxicated amidst threats of death to the only security man on duty, Mr Hevi stressed.

He said the upper primary classes were affected by fire, while the incident has been reported to the Hohoe police for investigation.

Mr Hevi said the affected pupils has been re-housed in the school's junior secondary school classrooms sine the final year JSS students had finished writing the BECE but added that the real problem would surface when the academic year resumed.

In view of the fire disaster, he said, an emergency meeting would be convened at the weekend on the issue.

The head teacher said the schools Parent-Teacher-Association was currently undertaking a kindergarten project and plans were afoot to continue using the shed to expand the lower primary, so as to increase enrolment at the upper primary in the school. Mr Hevi said eventually, the shed would be rehabilitated into a concrete building, when the finances of the school improve. He therefore, appealed to the National Disaster Management Organisation, the district assembly and other NGOs to assist the school to facilitate teaching and learning.

When contacted, Mr Samuel Darko, Assistant Director, Finance and Administration at the district directorate of the Ghana Education Service said the service was collaborating with the district assembly to source development partners to help rehabilitate the schools. 4 May 05

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