JSS, completed three years ago lacks furniture

Tegbi (V/R), Oct 21, GNA - A new school block for the Ashiata L/A Junior Secondary School at Tegbi in the Keta District completed three years ago with HIPC funds lacks furniture and pupils are compelled to carry kitchen stools and chairs to and from classes daily. An elder of the town told the GNA in an interview that several appeals had been made to the Keta District Assembly to provide the school with furniture but nothing had been done.

''So, pupils continue to carry small tables and chairs to school day in day out and this affects teaching and learning because they are not comfortable enough to enable them to absorb what they are thought.'' No doubt, the last BECE results were bad. The best grade out of 15 candidates presented was aggregate 09 and worst was aggregate 39. Most of the aggregates were in the 20s and 30s.

He said ideally, parents should provide their children with tables and chairs to complement government efforts but they are not able to do it due to economic constraints. ''That is why we have made appeals to the district assembly.''

''We need assistance. The structure has been built so there is no need for it to be under-utilized. As our elders say, 'when you kill a snake you have to cut off its head.' We are appealing to Mr Edward Ahiabor, the Keta District Chief Executive, to us,'' the old man said. When contacted on telephone, Mr Ahiabor told the GNA that the GETFund was providing many schools with dual desks and it would soon come to the turn of the school.

''The government has built a lot of new schools with HIPC funds and GETFund is providing them with dual desks. The distribution is being done district by district. Ashiata L/A JSS's turn will soon come,'' he said.