Mr Gabriel Osei Owusu, the headmaster of the Akrofuom Senior High Technical School (ASHTECH) in the Ashanti Region, has called on the Government, individuals, non-governmental organizations as well as the alumni of the school, for assistance to help promote teaching and learning in the institution.
He lamented the lack of adequate classrooms, poor security, accommodation for staff and students, among others.
The school which is the only second cycle institution in the district has a population of 1,631 students, 70 teachers and 30 non-teaching staff, but the infrastructural development has not kept pace with the growth rate since its establishment in the 1990/91 academic year.
Mr Osei Owusu appealed in an interview with Kumasi-based Hello FM’s reporter Stephen Sekyere during a programme organised by the Member of Parliament in the area in collaboration with the Akrofuom District Education Directorate and ASHTECH on the theme, “Life after SHS” for the final year students.
He said that due to the infrastructure deficit, they always convert their Assembly Hall to a dining hall and that distract the school’s activities.
He noted that due to the increase in the intake of students following the implementation of the Free SHS policy by the government, the existing facilities have been overstretched resulting in terrible congestion in the school.
“The student’s enrolment, as well as the teaching staff, have increased. The government is building structures to house the students. But they can’t do it alone. I will plead with individuals to come to our aid.
“We don’t have a dining hall. The current one was built for the school by someone and we convert it to the dining hall when the students are about to take their meals. That has been weakening the few pieces of furniture we have.”
Some students also expressed their worry with regards to attacks from outsiders due to the poor security system in the school.
“The townspeople normally attack us when we move out and they sometimes come to the school to attack us. It affects teaching and learning, we leave the class and run to the dormitories.
“We the female students face water crises as well when there is no light. We have to move the boys’ dormitory to fetch some, ” a female student said.
“Some teachers arrive in the school late due to the distance they travel from to the school. It’s affecting us. I will therefore appeal to the government to come to our aid, ” a male student opined.
