Ewando D/A School pupils endure snake bites, injuries, and academic disruptions due to poor infrastructure

In the rural community of Ewando in the Kpandai District of Ghana's Northern Region, pupils of Ewando D/A Basic School face daily struggles far beyond the usual challenges of education. 

Their makeshift school, a crumbling thatched structure with broken walls and a leaking grass roof, exemplifies the educational disparities between urban and rural Ghana.  

Despite the 1992 Constitution's promise to provide quality education for all, Ewando D/A School, which caters to 320 pupils—including 60 in the Junior High School (JHS) section—is plagued by poor infrastructure, inadequate furniture, and dangerous conditions that regularly disrupt learning.  

Learning environment that endangers pupils

The school operates in six classrooms constructed from broken sticks and grass, unable to withstand the region's harsh weather. Heavy rains and extreme heat frequently halt lessons, causing students to miss up to three classes a week and leaving them struggling to keep up with their syllabus.  

Monica Donkor, a final-year student and Girls' Prefect, shared her frustrations: "When it rains at night, the roof leaks and the floors flood, making it impossible to concentrate during class. Sometimes, we don’t even meet for class three times a week, and this leaves us falling behind on our syllabus. We're supposed to be preparing for B.E.C.E., but it feels like we’re getting nowhere." 

The conditions also pose significant dangers. Pupils are often required to repair the school building themselves by gathering grass and sticks, exposing them to injury. Talon Yabicha Elliott, a Basic Six pupil, described their perilous task:  "We’ve been bitten by snakes and injured by cutlasses while trying to fix the building. It's a dangerous task for children our age." 

The lack of proper facilities has already caused serious incidents. During one repair effort, the thatched roof collapsed, injuring five students.  

Call for urgent action

The community is calling for urgent intervention. Mr. Gbepi Sanja, chairman of the School Management Committee (SMC), voiced his frustrations over the lack of progress since the school was officially absorbed by the government in 2014: "Since the government took over, nothing has changed. Last year, we had two snake bites, and this year, one. What does this say about the government’s commitment to our children’s safety? We pay taxes, we vote in national elections, but what has that done for us? Our children’s well-being seems to be of little importance." 

Mr. Sanja also highlighted other challenges: "We have fewer than 30 desks for over 300 students, and only seven permanent teachers. It’s incredibly difficult for both students and teachers to work effectively under these conditions."

Symptom of rural Ghana’s educational  

Ewando D/A School’s plight is not unique. Across rural Ghana, schools face similar issues, including overcrowded classrooms, a lack of qualified teachers, and inadequate teaching materials. 

While Ghana remains committed to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 4—ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all—these systemic failures continue to hinder progress.  

For the children of Ewando D/A School, the absence of proper infrastructure undermines their academic performance and future opportunities. Their call for improved facilities and safe learning environments is a cry for justice for students in underserved areas nationwide.  

Way forward

The pupils, teachers, and the local community are appealing to the government, the Ministry of Education, and organisations such as the MTN Foundation and Members of Parliament for immediate support. 

Their request is for the construction of a modern school building equipped with basic necessities to create a conducive learning environment.  

Without urgent action, these children will remain trapped in a cycle of neglect. 

They hope that their cries for help will be heard and that one day, Ewando D/A Basic School will be transformed from a symbol of abandonment into a beacon of hope and opportunity for a better future.