SMC threatens to close down Huhunya Presby School
The management committee of the Presbyterian Primary ‘A’ and ‘B’ school at Huhunya in the Yilo Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region has threatened to close down the school due to the dilapidated nature of its structure and inadequate furniture for the pupils.
The chairman of the committee, Mr Isaac Kodi, who made this in an interview with the Daily Graphic last Thursday, said the structure posed danger to the pupils as well as the teachers, particularly during the rainy season.
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Again, he said, as a result of the limited desks, three pupils were made to sit on a desk instead of two, clearly defying the COVID-19 safety protocol of social distancing.
Mr Kodi who was speaking on behalf of the school management committee, therefore, appealed to the government and other relevant stakeholders in the education sector to act together to prevent any calamity.
He cautioned that there was the possibility of the structure collapsing during a downpour and pupils contracting COVID-19 because they were crowded sitting together.
Rainfall
To avoid any uncertainty, Mr Kodi said the SMC had directed the teachers to end classes whenever they realised that it would rain.
Apart from these challenges, the school management committee chairman said there was a building housing Kindergarten 1,2 and 3 which was constructed about 100 years ago.
He said the facility had developed cracks with its roofs leaking during rains.
Cattle invasion of school
Mr Kodi also expressed worry about cattle invading the school compound, leaving droppings which the pupils had to spend hours cleaning before they started classes.
Challenges too serious
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Dademantse of the area, Nene Tetteh Isaac Kwame, who was not happy about the situation, described the challenges facing the school as too serious.
"I have told the school authorities that if it is about to rain they should let the children go home because the safety of the children are very important", he said.
No rehabilitation
The Dademantse added that the Kindergarten block which was constructed 100 years ago had not seen any rehabilitation work since, adding that the building which was currently serving about 21 communities had become a death trap, exposing the lives of the children to danger.
When the Daily Graphic visited the school compound it was observed that cow dung had littered the school premises.
Some of the children were also seen running away from the animals for fear of being hurt.
Some of the school children, Akumatey Ayerkour Comfort and Tetteh Julius, all in class six, told the Daily Graphic that when it was about to rain the management of the school had no option than to let them join other classes.
Dual desks challenge
"We also have dual desks challenge facing the school and as a result of that we are overcrowded in the class and we are afraid of contracting the COVID-19 disease. We want the government and other relevant stakeholders in education, including NGOs and philanthropists, to come to our aid,” he said.
MCE's responses
When the Daily Graphic contacted the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Ebenezer Tetteh Kupualor, he said many basic schools in the area faced similar challenges and he would as soon as possible visit the school to assess the situation in order for it to be redressed.