Regional News of Thursday, 4 May 2006

Source: GNA

Queenmother assists school with building materials

Ho, May 4, GNA - Mama Atrato II, Queenmother of Ho-Dome on Thursday presented building materials worth 60 million cedis to the Ho-Dome Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Primary School in Ho. The items which included 50 bags of cement, four trips of sand, stone and thousands of blocks are to be used to fence the school and for other major renovations.

The school, which is the oldest in the Ho Municipality and built by the Germans over 63 years ago, had never had any form of renovation. As a result, the roofs of the death trap building can best be described as a sieve, which compels the school to embark on temporal closure during the rainy season.

Cutting the sod for commencement of work on the project, Mama Atrato expressed disappointment at the current state of the school that she said had produced leaders for the municipality and the nation. She appealed to non-governmental organizations, the Municipal Chief Executive and MP for Ho Central to take a second look at the school and improve upon its status.

Mr Shem Adu, Headteacher of the school expressed gratitude to Mama Atrato and described the gesture as timely.

He said the school, which is situated in the heart of the municipality with pupil population of 315 lacked basic facilities including toilet, lighting system and a library, among others.

Mr Adu noted that the state of the classroom block and the absence of basic facilities were affecting teaching and learning.

"Activities of encroachers on the school land, drug addicts and passers-by disrupt the attention of teachers and pupils during classes, I hope with the construction of the fence wall the activities of these intruders will stop" he added.

Mr Adu appealed to all stakeholders in education to come to the aid of the school, which had won and continue to win laurels in sports, culture and academic activities.