GSTS old students fumigate school’s compound
Belongings of students of the Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS) have been quarantined to undergo fumigation as part of an exercise to rid the school of bed bugs.
Advertisement
The exercise, sponsored by the Giants Association (the alumni of the school), is to ensure that the school is rid of the blood-sucking insects.
The Secretary of the association, Mr Ralph Menz, said the Giants Association worldwide had contributed some money to enable Jem Intercontinental Services Limited to undertake a one- week fumigation exercise in and around the school compound.
Bad sanitary conditions
The lead fumigator, Mr Emmanuel Hazel, attributed the situation to over-population of the school and bad sanitary conditions.
He called for intensification of the inspection regime by housemasters to ensure that students thoroughly clean and maintain a healthy environment in the school.
An Executive Member of the Association, Giant Ebo Simpson, said a team of engineers, planners and quantity surveyors had been dispatched to carry out structural integrity assessment of the school.
He said the association was also helping the school to develop a master plan which may call for the total demolition of some structures and renovation of others.
Affected regions
Last week, the Daily Graphic reported that at least five senior high schools in the Western Region had been invaded by bedbugs, causing discomfort and health problems for students and hampering academic work.
The affected schools included the Sekondi College, St John’s Senior High School and Ghana Secondary/Technical School (GSTS), all in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis. The others were the Esiama
Senior High School in the Ellembelle District and Nsein Senior High School in the Nzema East District.
In April last year, the Daily Graphic reported that almost all the schools in the Central, Volta and Ashanti regions had reported invasion of bedbugs.
The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr Jacob Kor, reportedly described the invasion of the blood-sucking bedbugs in the country’s senior high schools as a “serious health issue” and directed all regional directors to seek permission to close down schools for fumigation.
He explained that schools in session that are confronted with the problem, would be given permission to let the students go home to make way for the fumigation to halt the spread and ensure elimination of the bedbugs.
