Regional News of Thursday, 13 July 2017

Source: kasapafmonline.com

Collapsing school shuts down; teachers vacate post

Portions of the school building collapsed Portions of the school building collapsed

Yiwase M/A Primary School in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of the Eastern region has been closed down following collapse of portions of the ramshackle school building.

165 pupils and Seven teachers escaped death Thursday when parts of the school building caved in.

The School has since been shut down as the entire building is at the verge of tumbling down.

Teachers have over the years defied the danger the dilapidated school structure posed but improvised to teach the pupils. However last Thursday’s collapse has been the last straw that has broken the Camel’s back, hence the decision to shut down the school indefinitely and vacate post for fear of being trapped dead under the collapsing building.

End of term examination is in limbo.

The affected pupils are loitering around while others support their parents in farming activities.

Some of the pupils tell Kasapa News, government must intervene to address their plight by providing a conducive learning facility.

The Chief of the community, Nartey Aaron said the mud school building was built through a communal labour in 1943 in the quest of seeking education for children in the community but no major renovation has been done since.The chief said the community okayed decision by School Authorities to close down the school to avert disaster meanwhile arrangement is underway to request a church to allow the pupils write the end of term examination on Monday in a Church Building.

A member of the School Management Committee, Ayenor Narh explained that management of the school foresaw the incident hence attempted to evacuate the pupils to a Church but activities of the Church were interrupting with academic exercise therefore they moved the pupils again to an abandoned classroom block.

However the palm branches used as shelter collapsed during a storm compelling the pupils to return to the ramshackle school building.

The SMC chairman appealed to government to complete a six -units classroom block which has been abandoned since 2012 to provide accommodation to the displaced pupils before the next academic year begins.