Sekondi, March 12, GNA - Two Senior High Schools (SHS) in Sekondi have stated their inability to admit more students in September for the 2010/2011 academic year, due to boarding accommodation constraints. The schools are the Saint John's and Fijai Senior High Schools, whose headmasters, Reverend Brother K. B. Annan and Mr James Hamilton Rhule respectively, told the GNA in separate interviews on Thursday that students will have no option than to become day students.

Rev Bro Annan said this is because nobody was leaving or moving out due to the four-year educational reforms, introduced by the previous administration, but without the commensurate infrastructure to cater for the current needs. Rev Bro Annan said since education remained crucial to the socio-economic development of any nation, there was the need for stakeholders to deliberate dispassionately and in a non-partisan manner in order to achieve the best results. He said the introduction of new programmes as a result of the reforms meant that new classroom blocks and additional dormitories be put up to meet academic needs. "The population at this school has increased considerably and even the four storey dormitory under-construction has still not been completed", he added.

Rev Bro Annan said though the Conference of Heads Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), was in favour of the three years of secondary education, it also thought that it was ideal for government to try the four year proposal to give slow-learners a chance. He noted that initially most students were apprehensive due to the situation but had accepted the four-year proposal and were ready to go through the system.

Master Kweku Antwi, a first year student at the school was not in favour of the four years, saying that, it would delay further, admission into tertiary institutions. At the Fijai SHS, Mr Rhule said the four year period would enable the teachers to complete their syllabus and ensure that students are well prepared to take the West Africa Senior Secondary Certificates Examination (WASSCE). However, he said, the school cannot admit more students for the next academic year, explaining that "as at now we have only one classroom left for the 2010/2011 academic year"

Mr Rhule said the school has 22 classrooms, seven for each year and that the school has designed it programmes to suit the four years. He pointed out that the only classroom left can admit only 60 students for the General Arts class since it is one of the most subscribed courses. He added that the school does not have boarding facilities for both boys and girls to accommodate students coming from outside the metropolis. "Students in the third year would have to complete their course before we can have space in the boarding house", he said. According to him, students who will be admitted for the next academic year would have to be day students.

Mr Rhule said the Ghana Education Service has asked the school authorities to submit names of the number of students it can admit for the next academic year. He appealed to stakeholders in education, old students of the school, individuals and non governmental organizations to assist the school.

Ms Dorcas Antwi, a third year student of the school, lauded the four year period, saying, it would help the student to complete their curriculum and pass their exams successfully. Master Joseph Anaman, a first year student of the school said the four years for the programme was good for the students but the school does not have enough classrooms and boarding facilities to admit students for the next academic year. He added that he was not able to get accommodation at the boarding house and had to look for a hostel within the metropolis to enable him to be closer to the school.