Cape Coast: Basic Schools In Deplorable State Appeals For Support

A survey conducted by the Ghana News Agency in some public basic schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis has shown that most of them inadequately resourced and lacked basic infrastructure and Teaching and Learning Materials (TLM).

The schools the GNA visited were Ekon M/A Junior High School (JHS), Presbyterian JHS, Apostolic JHS, Mensah Sabah JHS, Amanful Catholic Boys JHS, Kwagyir Aggrey, Bessakrom JHS, Jubilee JHS and Bakatsir Methodist JHS.

In all the schools visited, it was evidently clear that they had no computer laboratories, personal computers, sports equipment, playing grounds and inadequate classrooms leading to congestion and ineffective teaching of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

In addition to that, they lacked basic TLM, faced security challenges, encroachment, low students and teacher morale, high students and teachers absenteeism, lack of support from Parents Teacher-Association (PTA), School Management Committee (SMC) and Old students support.

At Bakatsir School, the Headteacher, Mrs Joana Yalley, said most parents failed woefully to provide basic learning tools such as reading and writing books, pens, uniforms and at least one hot meal or money to buy food daily.

She complained that the look warm attitude of parents had given rise to high student absenteeism, low students and teacher morale and affected school enrolment especially at the kindergarten level.

Mrs Yalley explained that although everyone was aware of the benefits of education, 'it is sad to note that in Cape Coast, the citadel of education in Ghana they say, a number of children are not given the opportunity to have access to free quality education'.

She said quality education was an investment that needed a lot of sacrifices by stakeholders, and that it was imperative that parents and other stakeholders ensured that the dividend of investments in education was realised.

'Education is about future and destiny, where every parent must be part of what goes on with their investments, provide for your children, send them to school and also keep an oversight responsibility on teachers to make sure that they deliver and the necessary reward is giving to teachers and the pupils,' she advised.

She urged parents to see their children's educational needs as equally important and provide them with the needed materials to give them a brighter future.

At Ekon M/A Junior High School (JHS), scores of school children and authorities complained of strong stench emanating from a fish processing site that affected student concentration in class.

A teacher of the school told the GNA on condition of anonymity that some parents who could not bear the ceaseless stench and other insanitary conditions around the school had withdrawn their wards from the school.

The Teacher also mentioned encroachment on school lands, adding many developers had built houses close to the school, while fishmongers and passers-by competed for space to disturb students and academic work.

At Bessakrom M/A basic school, the story was no different as kindergarten pupils sat on adult chairs during studies as their legs swung in the air.

The school had no computer, ICT teacher, teachers' table, with a terrible road network leading to the school.

In all the schools visited, appeals were made to stakeholders and institutions to support them with teaching resources, infrastructure and other logistics to enhance academic work. GNA

By Isaac Arkoh, GNA