Regional News of Monday, 23 October 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Frukan E/A Primary school children studying under trees, teachers appeal for support

Basic pupils studying under a tree Basic pupils studying under a tree

Correspondence from North East Region:

Children at Frukan E/A Primary School in Langbinsi in the East Mamprusi Municipality of the North-East Region have been compelled to study under trees after their six-unit classroom block was ripped off.

Parents are taking their wards out of the school after they found out that their children were sitting under trees to learn after the school was completely ripped off in April 2023.

Primary one to primary five were completely ripped off on April 29, 2023, by a windstorm and they have still not been roofed for the past seven months.

The situation in the school is affecting teaching and learning as the children are compelled to change their sitting position for better shade anytime the sun reaches them under the trees.

The pupils cannot stay in the school whenever it is about to rain.

After the destruction, the enrolment in the school was reduced as 33 children were taken away by their parents due to the absence of comfortable classroom blocks.

The headteacher said that the school authority has conferred with some parents and they have agreed to bring their wards back despite the poor state of the school but some have refused to allow their children back to the school.

The headteacher of the school, Dauda Iddrisu expressed his worries about the situation to GhanaWeb in an interview and said, "The trees are our classrooms for now. When it is threatened to rain, we have no alternative but to allow the children to go home and this affects teaching and learning greatly."

"About 33 were out of the school. We made a follow-up and some parents were saying that because of the situation, they cannot allow their children to be here and be beaten by rain so they sent them to different schools."

The headteacher and his staff are appealing to the government and NGOs to come to their aid for the school to attain its former glory.

"We are appealing to the government and other well-meaning Ghanaians to support us roof the school," they appealed.

Adam Kabiru, the assemblyman for the Langbinsi electoral area is appealing to the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to support them.

"We have appealed to the MCE on several occasions but nothing has been done. So, we are appealing to the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to help us. The situation is very bad," he said.

The school authorities including the SMC chairman are appealing to the government, philanthropists, NGOs, and other well-meaning Ghanaians to come to their aid.