Headmistress of Somanya Methodist JHS appeals for renovation of deplorable classroom block

Headmistress of the Methodist Junior High School (JHS) at Somanya in the Yilo Krobo Municipal of the Eastern Region, Believe Antwi, has appealed to the government and benevolent individuals, groups, and organizations to help renovate the school’s JHS one-classroom block.

The facility currently housing 187 students of the three form-one classes; ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ has not seen any major renovation since its establishment in 1948.

The headmistress appealed during the first graduation ceremony of the Somanya Methodist JHS which was on the theme, ‘Better Education For A Transformed Future.’

According to her, aside from inconveniencing students, the situation also unduly disrupted the school's academic activities, especially whenever it rained.

“At times when it rains, in fact, they have to pack out even if teaching and learning is ongoing. The teachers have to leave and the students also abandon the classrooms to join the form twos. Anytime it rains, the roof leaks and it’s not conducive at all,” she said adding that rays from the sun also find their way into the classrooms through the dilapidated roofing.

Reiterating an earlier appeal to authorities to further support the school to renovate the classroom block, the school head said the building currently was in a very deplorable state and begging for attention.

Also appealing for a wall around the school, Madam Believe Antwi said the situation had become critical and a matter of concern as people kept encroaching on the school land.

Though the new curriculum demands that learners be made to explore and become creators of ideas through critical thinking leading to creativity and innovation, the school head however lamented that the school cannot fully achieve these requirements without adequate resources as it remains heavily financially constrained.

Presenting something to celebrate amid the difficulties, however, she said the school’s 2021 Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) results saw a remarkable improvement and expressed the hope that the sky would be the limit should the school get further support.

She celebrated the school’s feat in daring into areas such as school cadet, quiz clubs, and cultural troupe which were hitherto the preserves of private basic schools.

She noted that roping Technical and Vocational Schools (popularly called TVET Schools) into the Free SHS Policy increased the options for students as times were fast demanding for more skilled men and women, prompting the school to bring on board and introduce the Henry Djaba Foundation of Ideas and Knowledge.

She urged the graduates to pick positive values from their nine-year stay at the basic education level into their next academic life.

Keynote speaker at for the event and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development, (UESD) Professor Eric Nyarko-Sampson stressing the theme of the event said all stakeholders including educational authorities, municipal authorities, the community, traditional rulers, parents, and teachers had a role to play in the education of students.

“If you’re talking about education, everybody is included. We have stakeholders and all these stakeholders have a role to play,” said the vice-chancellor.

He urged teachers to adopt innovative teaching methods and acquire new knowledge to teach their students to become learners who’ll create knowledge.

The vice chancellor also tasked parents to ensure that they commit resources to their children’s education as the government alone is incapable of doing it.

He congratulated the graduates but entreated them to strive to work better to guarantee a good future.

Special guest of honour at the event and Divisional Chief of the Plau Traditional Area, Nene Tetteh Djaba Agbleze IV advised parents to avoid extravagant expenses to enable them to invest more in the education of their wards.

Underscoring the importance of education, he said ensuring the fulfillment of this responsibility would propel their children to positions that’ll enable them to take proper care of them in the future.

The chief while cautioning parents to ensure the responsibility of the upbringing of their kids warned that they (parents) would be arrested if their under-aged ward was caught engaging in criminal acts.

Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Yilo Krobo, Honourable Eric Tetteh said, stressed that education is the key to development and said, “There’s no doubt that education is the key to success…and the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo believes that it is only education that can bridge the gap between the rich and the poor,” the Assembly chief said.

According to him, the only way to transform the municipality is through education as income from farming which remains the mainstay of the people is insufficient.

The MCE expressed the readiness of the Assembly to provide the necessary assistance to students of basic schools to enable them access to university education.

He however urged parents, teachers, and students to support the Assembly in the discharge of this responsibility.

As part of the event, awards were presented to deserving students as well as the outdooring of the school cadet, handing over ceremonies for prefects, and the inauguration of the school’s alumni.