The State of Education in Ghana: Stephen Abankwa

Story by Stephen Abankwa

Recent news reports on the lack of rehabilitation on collapsing classrooms in schools and the existence of dangerous school buildings are not new in Ghana. Schools were poorly built originally and the lack of maintenance has only made it worse. The same can be said of the roads, hospitals and other institutions in this country.

A healthy learning environment in schools is only possible when students and teachers are provided with adequate facilities. These facilities are not only related to teaching and learning, but also to provide a safe and sound infrastructure. Worrying about weak structures due to age and lack of maintenance can make learning more difficult.

Photo: Ebenezer Kyeremateng

Lack of safe school buildings have had dire consequences. Recently, a severe rainstorm in Asante, Mampong Municipality destroyed six classrooms, including furniture and a common room.  This will lead to tremendous difficulties for both students and teachers. And, 6 KG students were killed when a classroom collapsed in Asikuma Odobe Brakwa District Assembly in the Central Region.

Photo: Ebenezer Kyeremateng

Gomoa Afransi District Assembly Primary school is located in the District Capital of Gomoa East in the Central Region. Established in 1946, the school is one of the oldest basic school infrastructures in the Gomoa East District. According to the headmistress student population of numbers three hundred and two (302) pupils, both KG and primary, with 10 (ten) teachers. The school has produced numerous graduates for the development of Ghana since 1946 than any other institution Most graduates of this primary school continue their education and readily gain employment in both government and the corporate world.

Photo: Ebenezer Kyeremateng

Yet, even this high functioning school suffers from lack of care.

According to the headmistress of the school, Madam Cecilia Yawson, last June a strong rain storm hit Gomoa Afransi and affected the roofing of the school, leading to the removal of the roof of some classrooms. Some of the classrooms have now been re-roofed but the rest remain damaged. She asked what could be done to keep it from happening again but no action was taken. The headmistress also added the media have taken both videos and images of the school but they do not appear in any news broadcasts to inform the public and the authorities of the current situation at the school.

Photo: Ebenezer Kyeremateng

The state of the roof at the school is so bad that the carpenters who have come to look at it are afraid to walk on it! So, the condition of the school building has been the cause of untold hardship on the pupil, teachers, and the community as a whole and therefore requires urgent attention to be renovated.

According to one elderly resident of Gomoa Afransi who is believed to be an older graduate of the school and declined to give his name, tells me that since the establishment of the school in 1946, has only seen the school painted only once.

There have been numerous complaints about the condition of the school building by the school management and other stakeholders to the Ghana Education Service and the Gomoa East District Assembly. But, all have been futile.

Photo: Ebenezer Kyeremateng

According to the headmistress, Ms. Yawson, she contacted the Assembly member of the town, Hon. Dominic Ato Nyame, who is also a teacher at Dawurampong Senior High School, to inquire the steps he has taken towards the rehabilitation of the school building especially the roofing and he said,

“I have reported the situation severally through both verbal discussion and letter written to the Gomoa East District Assembly but there was always one response that I receive that the Common Funds are not yet in.”

He added that during the 2016 election campaign then District Chief Executive Hon. Moses Jehu-Appiah called on the Chiefs of Gomoa Afransi to a ceremony in order to officially receive some allocation of iron sheets to re-roof the affected classrooms. This was meant as a temporary measure until the proper funds could be allocated. But, the Chiefs declined to attend that ceremony, accusing the Mr. Jehu-Appiah disrespected them by not paying them an official visit after he was elected. There is a saying that “when the two elephant fight, it is the grass that suffers”. Well, the school suffered. Nothing got done.

Photo: Ebenezer Kyeremateng

There has been a growing evidence from across the globe that the condition of school infrastructure has a strong impact on the learning outcome of students. In addition to leaking roofs, there have been potholes in the floor, and some cracks within the walls and pillars of the school. According to many teachers, the bad state of the school buildings has caused the withdrawal of some pupils by their parents to other schools, tarnishing the reputation of a once fine school.

Many school projects that started under President John Kuffour’s term 12 years ago have been abandoned and remain incomplete. A formal park for student use was cleared but left undeveloped leading to uncontrolled erosion. Building decay is everywhere. So, the pupils always have their classes under trees and verandas on the school grounds.

Photo: Ebenezer Kyeremateng

Education of its people is the strength of any nation. So, if Ghana wants to be a light in Africa, to live up to the progressive agenda it often promotes, it must devote more attention to improving the crumbling infrastructure of its education system. Or, it is doomed, like too many other African nations, to squander its future.