Pupils Desert School As JSS Building Deteriorates

A JUNIOR Secondary School (JSS) structure improvised from nim sticks and leaves by its public-spirited headmaster, Sackitey Emmanuel, at Okwenya, near Odumase Krobo, seems no longer capable of serving its purpose: pupils are deserting the precarious facility.

Down-hearted Sackitey told Chronicle in an interview last Tuesday that "my intake has taken a nose-dive as both parents and pupils are boycotting the school I so much toiled to establish."

The figures confirm his anxiety. Whereas JSS 3 has 21 pupils and JSS 2 has 30, only 12 pupils dot the first year classroom.

Though over 50 pupils completed the primary section of the same school at the end of the last academic year, the majority chose to attend school at Somanya, which is about four kilometres away or give up schooling prematurely.

Okwenya used to have an equally deplorable primary school block till the Manya Krobo District Assembly and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints collaborated to provide them with a more decent structure.

Due to poverty and misplaced priorities, Okwenya with over 60 buildings and a population of over 500 have, for years, failed to put up an adequate structure for continuing pupils from the primary school.

Mr. Sackitey recounted the difficulties he encountered while fetching sticks to erect a wall and leaves for a roof for the four classes.

Asked how the deplorable condition impacted on the results of his 'graduates,' he replied "the results are somehow good, except that we don't have workshops and other facilities to teach certain vital subjects and this affects the practical aspect of teaching here in no small way."

Speaking to the Chronicle, therefore, Mr. Sackitey appealed to "whoever is in a position to help to come to our aid.

We particularly entreat the district assembly to come to our rescue because ours is also part of Ghana, just as Odumase, Accra, Tema and Kumasi are." Andrew Kwasi Teye, the District Chief Executive(DCE) was reached for what immediate relief he had for the Okwenya LA JSS.

He pledged sand and stones for the Latter Days Saints charity section to build a new block for the school, since the church had promised to help.

He admitted that there are similar and even "worse structures" not only in the rural area but even in the district capital, Odumase, itself.

But he assured that, progressively, the MKDA would allocate more of its budgets to educational development.

"Personally I have earmarked education as my first priority, ever since I assumed office as chief executive," A. K. Teye said.