Kpando (V/R), Aug. 1, GNA - Mr Theodore Dzavor, Headmaster of Bishop Herman College, has appealed to the government to expedite action on the Kpando water project to forestall a perennial water shortage facing students and inhabitants. He said currently, only a mechanized borehole served the student population of 1,011, as well as teachers and non-teaching staff and their dependants.

Mr. Dzavor made this appeal at the 55th anniversary and speech and prize-giving day of the school at Kpando. It was marked under the theme: "The new educational reform programme of 2007: prospects and challenges". He said the perennial water problem was retarding academic growth and progress of schools in the district and called for its mitigation. Mr Dzavor said lack of accommodation for staff and students was another challenge facing the school and that there were only 24 bungalows for 53 tutors, compelling management to pair two or more families in a three-bedroom facility. He held that this situation was not only counter-productive but also scaring away prospective teachers.

The Catholic Church built all existing structures between 1954 and 1970, apart from two staff bungalows built by the government. Mr Dzavor appealed to government and other stakeholders to help provide additional bungalows, classrooms, laboratories and dormitories to accommodate the increasing student population. He said work on a complex housing a library, administration block and assembly, started in 1975 but stalled due to lack of funds. He commended the Parent Teacher Association, Old Students Association and other non-governmental bodies, for providing teaching and learning materials and appealed to the Ghana Education Service and Ghana Education Trust Fund to come to their aid.

Mr Pius Adanuti, Kpando District Chief Executive, said a comprehensive proposal had been submitted to the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing and other development partners for funding as a long-term measure to solve the water problem. He said Dakhatar Engineering Services; a consultancy firm, was collaborating with the Volta Foundation, a development NGO to solicit funding towards the early execution of the project.