Fumbisi (U/E), June 14, (Amoh) GNA - The Fumbisi Senior Secondary School, which serves the Builsa area in the Upper East Region, is saddled by numerous problems and requires immediate government support. The school, which is agricultural science bias in view of the high agricultural potentials of the area, has been recording low enrolment in recent years because of inadequate qualified teachers, low morale of staff and the lack of infrastructure.

The Headmaster of the school, Mr Roger Regis Abapol said these in an interview with the GNA at Fumbisi at the weekend. He said the science laboratory that was awarded on contract for furnishing to Benburto Enterprise Limited, an Accra-based construction has come to a standstill.

He also said work on two staff quarters that had reached roofing level have also been abandoned since 1999, while the school lacked a reliable means of transport.

Mr Abapol said: "The only means of transport is a nine-year-old single cabin pickup that could best be described as a death trap and very expensive to maintain".

He said the school also lacked boarding facilities and that it has been located within a highly deprived area in the oncho-free zone of the Builsa District.

Mr. Abapol said, "if the school is made boarding as originally planned, the low school enrolment, lack of qualified teachers and other problems could be resolved". He complained about the absence of access road to the school campus, saying it is difficult to move in and out of the area during the rainy season, and urged the District Assembly to construct an access road to the school.

Mr. Abapol said with the government's intention and assurances to revamp the agricultural sector and rice production in the area in particular, it was only proper for the school to be well equipped to achieve the purpose for which it was established.

He said to ensure fairness and encourage the effective development of education in deprived communities, government should as a matter of urgency, extend electricity to the school for effective teaching and learning, especially the teaching of computer science.

The Headmaster urged government "to come over to 'Macedonia' and help to improve the status of the school for the benefit of the present and future students of the school in their quest to acquire knowledge to develop their communities".

The Fumbisi Secondary School is one of three senior secondary schools in the Builsa District. The others are the Sandema Secondary Technical School and the Sandema Secondary School. 14 June 04