The authorities of the Efutu Senior High School in the Cape Coast North Constituency have been compelled to rent houses in town for their first year male students due to the limited dormitory facilities in the school.

Mr. Johnny Nartey, headmaster of the School, announced these at the 16th Anniversary and Fourth Speech and Prize-giving Day, on Saturday at Efutu. The celebration was on the theme: ’Promoting Quality Education in Community Schools, the role of Stakeholders.'

The construction of a three-storey dormitory block, by an Accra-based contractor, for more than nine years ago, has been abandoned thereby making accommodation for, particularly, male students a major hurdle for school authorities.

Therefore, the School currently pays for the accommodation of more than 200 first year male students in the Efutu town, thus rendering the efforts of teachers to control the students on campus difficult. But the authorities said that is the only available option.

Mr Nartey said the construction of a two-unit four staff bungalows awarded to an Agona Swedru-based contractor some years ago had also been abandoned.

Other problems enumerated include inadequate staff accommodation and the lack of a modern science laboratory, which the headmaster said, was impacting negatively on the teaching and learning of Science.

The Home Economics and Visual Arts Departments, Mr Nartey said, did not have adequate equipment and furniture for students’ practical training, work and projects.

He said though the school had consistently recorded improvement in the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination, last year’s performance was abysmal as the pass rate dropped significantly from 84.35% in 2013 to 60.33%.

Mr. Nartey, therefore urged all the stakeholders in the educational enterprise, including policy makers and students, to collaborate and work in a sustained manner towards promoting quality education in community schools.

The Central Regional Minister, Mr. Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, commended the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) for its immense contribution to the success of the School over the years, and pledged the Regional Coordinating Council’s commitment to community schools in the Region.

He assured the school authorities that he would urgently ensure that the contractors of the abandoned projects resume work to complete the projects, and also to solicit GETfund support for the school.