Sipim of Manya Aklomuase in the Manya Krobo Traditional Area of the Eastern Region is appealing for assistance to complete stalled projects at the Manya Krobo Senior High School (MAKROSEC) being undertaken by the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).
The projects including a 12-unit dormitory block, an ICT/school library and the school wall began about 12 years ago as the contributions of parents to address the pressing needs of the school, have however come to a standstill.
The projects which are at various stages of completion have stalled because the contributions of parents were no longer forthcoming due to the introduction of the Free SHS policy.
The situation got worse with the directive by the Ghana Education Service (GES) that all schools should halt the collection of PTA dues.
An estimated Ghc 530,000 is reportedly needed to complete works on the boys’ dormitory.
Now, not many parents are motivated to contribute any longer. Additionally, with the directive by the GES that PTA dues should be suspended, parents are no longer willing to contribute.
With only the ground and first floors of the 12-unit boys’ dormitory block inhabitable so far, the students have no option but to put up in the facility while works on the last floor remain unfinished.
The situation has not been so conducive for the students with water leaking into the dormitories whenever it rains.
Dr. Nene Narh Terkpertey II, Sipim of Manya-Aklomuase in the Manya Krobo Traditional area said, “I have seen a whole lot of challenges or problems which are yet to be solved for the school and as a philanthropist, I also tried donating something….I have seen that even the school library is not roofed. Boys dormitory, girls’ dormitory, classroom blocks and then school wall, all are not completed,” said the traditional leader.
He expressed concern over the effects of the situation on the academic work of students and teachers and prayed for assistance from benevolent organizations.
“It is affecting both the students and the teachers because the boys’ dormitory if you go to see where they are sleeping if rain falls, there is nothing like assembly hall, they stand under trees in case of anything like assembly and in case there is rainfall, then they don’t have anything like an assembly hall.”
He furthered: “Apart from that, the teachers, some of them are in the town, it’s affecting the children, their classes, a whole lot so that is what I am saying, let us all come together and help them.”
Dr. Terkpertey said plans were far advanced for him to mobilize some traditional leaders and old students to raise funds to support the school.
He appealed to all stakeholders including NGOs, companies and individuals to contribute resources to improve the infrastructure of the school.
PTA chairman of the school, Mr. Edward Amanor said though the Association more than a decade ago began putting up the projects, works on the facilities stalled following the introduction of the free SHS policy.
“We [PTA] were undertaking those projects before the onset of the free education and government said the PTA dues are voluntary and so we no longer have the funds to continue it but we have reached an advanced stage…our problem now is how to roof the building,” said Mr. Amanor.
He added: “We have been discussing this with the parents but they haven’t been able to do much and government also says we shouldn’t shift the bills but our projection was that with the total school population of 3,400 if we charge each of them Ghc100, that would have given us Ghc340,000 [a year].”
According to Mr. Amanor, the boys’ dormitory is of utmost concern to the PTA as the rains aside posing inconveniences to the students also pose risks to the block. Over time, he fears the situation can weaken the structure.
He was confident that the project if completed would address the accommodation challenges facing the students as the block is big enough to house all the male students of the school.
He expressed similar concerns about the ICT and school library block as well as a school wall around the 200-acre school land.
Meanwhile, the government has other ongoing projects in the school including a 12-unit and six-unit classroom blocks and a girls' dormitory block.
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