The authorities of Mensah Kurom A.M.E Zion School in the Ayensuano District of the Eastern Region are appealing to the Ministry of Education to improve the school’s infrastructure to enhance effective teaching and learning.
The school, which has a population of 60 pupils and a class level from Kindergarten(KG) to class six, lacks proper classroom blocks, teaching and learning materials, library, toilet and urinal facility.
Mr Afriyie Benedict, the headmaster of the school, in an interview with the Ghanaian Times described the situation as “worst” among the basic schools in the district, adding that, the nature of the clay structure which serves as the school classroom centre posed a threat and danger to the pupils and the teachers.
According to Mr Benedict, on May 22 2019, one of the clay structures which served as the classroom for KG 1 and nursery pupils collapsed during lesson period, causing injuries to about 30 pupils and damages to some learning materials, tables and chairs.
“It was fortunate that pupils and teachers escaped death but sustained injuries and the school properties got damaged,” he added.
Mr Benedict said this situation compelled the teachers to hold class lessons under trees, saying that when it rains, the situation becomes “unbearable” for teachers as the torrential rains continue to disrupt academic exercise.
The school, being the only government
school in the community, can only boast of shed made from clay and roofed with
aluminium sheet as a teaching and learning centres as well as
toilet and urinal facility.
It has been in a deplorable state for the
past 12 years, and the situation is hindering
academic progress as well as teaching and learning, according to the
headmaster, Mr AfriyieMr Benedict added.
“Academic exercise comes to a halt whenever it rains, the classrooms become flooded and muddy since the environment is water logged area,” he said.
Mr Benedict added that the school had no toilet and urinal structure, compelling the pupils to defecate in polythene bags and sometimes in the bushes.
Mr Benedict said, the school also lacks learning materials such as textbooks which facilitate academic performance.
“Our school does not have any English, Mathematics, Science, Religious and Moral Education, Creative Arts and Twi textbooks for the pupils, and this makes learning very hard for the pupils,” he said.
He, therefore, pleaded with the government to come to their aid and develop the school for the natives of Mensah Kurom.
FROM EVANGEL KELVIN AINOO, MENSAH KUROM.
