Divisional Chief of Okper in the Yilo Krobo Traditional Area of the Eastern Region has appealed to various stakeholders to play a role in rehabilitating the deteriorated 73-year-old Sra Presby ‘A’ school at Somanya.
The school since its establishment in 1950 has seen no major rehabilitation.
Describing the structure of the Sra Presby school as a death trap, the traditional leader said, "The school is actually a death trap, the roofs are falling, the pillars are broken.”
According to him, he'd have shut down the school if he were the minister of education.
An advocate for quality education in the Yilo Krobo Traditional Area, Nene Anyeenorgu Teye Agor IX while outlining his vision for education and educational infrastructure said, “The mission for this year was to help upgrade the schools because we realize that some of the schools are in very bad shape so our aim was to get them building materials to boost their structures which we have.”
Nene Agor, as part of his philanthropy, has already extended support to other schools in Yilo Krobo including the Pleyo M/A Basic School, Sikabeng JHS, Ogome Anglican, Somanya R/C and lately, the Sra Presby ‘A’ amongst several others.
The situation of the school came to the attention of the chief following a series of appeals for assistance from the school’s management.
In response to the appeals, Aene Agor has donated 20 pieces of roofing sheets to the school as appeals for further public support for building materials such as cement, iron rods, roofing sheets, etc remain ongoing.
Currently, the chief is championing a revenue mobilization campaign to raise the necessary funds to renovate the school.
For him, individuals and organizations could pool resources together to help address the dire situation of the school, fearing that the situation is a disaster in the waiting if not promptly addressed.
"If they don't pay attention and come to the aid of Sra Presby A, trust me we'll hear a disaster that we're not willing to... the roofing can fall at any time, the pillars, anything can happen, the first danger is to the life of the student," said the chief.
He expressed his readiness to use his position to solicit assistance from individuals and organizations toward addressing the problem.
Meanwhile, residents of the area have called on the MCE of the area, Mr. Eric Tetteh, and the Member of Parliament (MP), Albert Nyakotey to as a matter of urgency rehabilitate the old school structure.
The school has produced the former Member of Parliament for Yilo Krobo, Lawyer Magnus Kofi Amoatey, the current MP, Albert Tetteh Nyakotey, the paramount chief of Yilo Krobo, Oklepeme Nuer Annor-Baah Sasraku among other important figures.
According to the former PTA chairman for the school, Mr Nargeh, several efforts were made for the betterment of the school but to no avail. He said there have been several promises from both the former and the current Members of Parliament as well as the MCE but nothing to show.
