Asukyerema, a rural community in the Upper West Akyem district of the Eastern Region, has now been provided with a Junior High School (JHS) after 60 years of existence.

Residents who could not hide their joy, thronged the Asukyerema D/A basic school to witness the celebration and launch of the JHS at its 60th anniversary.

The District Chief Executive, Eugene Sackey, together with the district education officers and chief of Ahodwo, Nana Opare Amankwah II, opened the new JHS that will admit students from primary six.

The Headmaster of the school, James Baah, who heaved a sigh of relief, told Class News that the coming of the JHS would help reduce truancy among pupils who had to trek long distances under the scorching sun to attend JHS at Adeiso.

He said the JHS would also bring to an end, the situation where okada riders took undue advantage of young girls in the community and impregnated them after offering them free ride to school.

According to Mr Baah, parents could hardly afford GHS10 transport fare to and from Adeiso for their wards to access the JHS. Due to that, the okada operators convey them freely and also "take undue advantage of them."

While expressing appreciation to the government, he also requested that the school be provided with a library and an ICT lab to house some books that NGO Child Rights International had donated to them.

DCE Eugene Sackey, pledged to provide the new JHS with the needed desks to enhance studies.

He expressed concerned about the lack of toilet facilities at the school.