Correspondence from Upper East:

Teaching and learning at the Atolisum Junior High School in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region are affected as academic work is conducted in an old dilapidated classroom structure with visible cracks.

As a result, the JHS 2 pupils are compelled to take over the staff common room for studies while the JHS 1 and 3 pupils study under a death trapped structure – posing danger to the teachers and pupils.

Due to the scorching sun in the Upper East Region, the bad state of the building negatively affects teaching and learning as the pupils sweat profusely during class hours.

In an era of the coronavirus pandemic that requires social distancing as a measure to curb the spread, pupils of the Atolisum JHS sit in overcrowded classrooms to study.

The decision to open the Atolisum Junior High and Primary School at Sumbrungu Kulbia, a predominantly farming community in the Bolgatanga Municipality became necessary because a good number of students were dropping out of school due to the lack of a school in the area.

A philanthropist and member of the community, George Ayanore who disclosed this said he was compelled to construct the 3-unit classroom block structure in 2013 to replace a mud structure that was serving as a primary school block.
Fortunately, Mr. Ayanore stated that an NGO, Engage Now Africa through the community initiative constructed a 6-unit classroom block to serve as the primary school.

“But as the years went by, there was the need to establish a JHS. So, we wrote to the Ghana Education Service for support. The GES only approved for the opening of the JHS but failed to provide a classroom block for the purpose. We have written to the Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Hon. Isaac Adongo for support but he is yet to respond. Unfortunately, the JHS pupils have to return to the dilapidated structure which the primary school was started”, he disclosed.

Mr. Ayanore who is the School Management Committee Chairman disclosed that teaching and learning come to a standstill when it rains because the roofing leaks and the doors and windows are wide open.

Hon. Ayanore expressed with regrets that successive governments have failed to attend to the dire need of the school since its establishment. The SMC Chairman of Atolisum Primary and JHS assured that there is a vast land for a classroom block, should the government or benevolent organizations wants to come to the aid of the pupils.

The school authorities when approached refused to speak on record nor allow the pupils to speak because of the fear of being victimized. They however admitted that the current situation of the school negatively affects teaching and learning.