Bawku (U/E), Feb. 25, GNA- Renovation works on the upgrading of the Bawku Senior Secondary School (BAWSCO) into a model institution has come to a standstill due to lack of funds.

The project which is being executed by 11 contractors at a cost a 16 billion cedis, had affected academic programmes on campus.

The government announced the upgrading of one Secondary School in each of the 110 districts into a model Senior Secondary School with modern facilities and BAWSCO was among the selected ones in the region. When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the school at the weekend, none of the foremen and workers was on site. Most of the roofs, windows, doors and floors of the dormitories, classroom blocks, masters' bungalows and the dinning hall had been removed.

The situation has compelled students to have lessons under the shade of trees, and the library has now turned into a dormitory housing the 380 female students, while the boys with a population of 1,035 are occupying the assembly hall which got burnt some time ago.

The Headmaster, Mr. Raymond J. Achana, who conducted the GNA round the project explained that the school postponed its re-opening date at the beginning of the current term in anticipation that work would have reached an advanced level.

He said the slow pace at which the work is being done has adversely affected academic programmes, which does not augur well for the students, especially those in the final year.

He said the situation has brought about indiscipline in the school since it had become difficult to conduct effective supervision. Mr. Achana appealed to the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) to ensure that the contractors complete the job on time.