Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, an American political figure, diplomat, and activist, once observed that the future belonged to those who believed in the beauty of their dreams, but this is not so with the pupils of Akpo-Yiwase Municipal Assembly (M/A) Primary School in the Yilo Krobo Municipality seem to be fading out.
The young girls and boys will not forgive the school authorities if their current place for teaching and learning is not looked at properly.
The school, which was started in 1943, has suffered many setbacks following a lack of a proper school building, resulting in lessons being conducted under trees.
The leaders of the community, in an interview with The Chronicle newspaper, said the pupils had been taught under trees at Yiwase M/A Primary School for the past eight years, after part of the school building was totally destroyed by a heavy rainstorm.
One of the leaders, Mr. Jacob Teye, indicated that “we have approached the Regional and the Municipal Education Office and tried to negotiate with them so they could come up with a plan for us, but nothing positive came out of it.”
He expressed disappointment in the authorities of the country for failing to ensure that there was safe and adequate infrastructure at the school‚ a situation which violated the rights of the pupils and staff.
The Yiwase opinion leader continued that the teachers needed to close abrogate children whenever it rained, a situation that was de-motivating the children from going to school.
Even the uncompleted school building, which was allegedly funded by Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) has been abandoned and become dilapidated posing a threat to the safety of the pupils.
Mr. Christian Ashimaty, the school head, passionately called on the government, individuals, stakeholders, and philanthropists to come to their aid with social amenities, including a school building, desks, teacher’s bungalows, and potable water.
He further stated that many of the children had stopped schooling due to a lack of classrooms, and furniture, and have to bring their own chairs and other learning materials to use, a situation which is seriously affecting teaching and learning.
“Many teachers get discouraged when they are posted to work in the community as a result of the poor road network, network invisibility, access to potable water, and many other challenges,” said the teachers.
Madam Ophelia Nartey, School Improvement Support Officer (SISO) for Huhunya Circuit in the Yilo Krobo Municipality, stated that the situation was affecting learning in the community, for which the government, individuals, stakeholders and philanthropists needed to intervene.
