The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, has dismissed claims that the government has neglected educational facilities in Senior High Schools.
He emphasized that efforts are underway to improve infrastructure, including the completion of E-Blocks that were initiated by the previous administration.
The implementation of the Free Senior High School policy has led to a significant increase in enrolment in Senior and Technical Schools, resulting in higher demands for infrastructure to accommodate the growing number of students.
The Ejisuman Senior High School in the Ashanti Region faces inadequate furniture challenge as the headmistress, Cassandra Osei Owusu Antobre explains the situation is affecting teaching and learning.
“As you saw, during classes, they have to move the dining hall benches to the classroom and when it’s changed over, they have to send it back to the dining hall when it’s dining time. And because of that early in the morning, classes start at 7: 30 and the students will be struggling with the mono desks.”
In response, Education Minister Dr Osei Adutwum engaging with the students, assured them that measures would be taken to address the furniture challenge in schools.
He also denied claims that the government has abandoned educational facilities. Dr Adutwum stressed that the government is actively upgrading and completing Community Day Senior High Schools in various parts of the country.
“I don’t understand the issue of abandonment. There may be some E-blocks that we’ve not opened. If you put an E-block, as I’ve always said in the middle of the city, in Accra or Kumasi, it’s a great investment. But if you put them nowhere, in a jungle somewhere, if you don’t add dormitories, you can’t open them. So what we have done is to add dormitory blocks so that we can operationalize the E-blocks.”
Meanwhile, during his interaction with students at the Bosomtwi Girls Stem Senior High School, the Minister encouraged them to believe in themselves and embrace hard work.
He also urged parents to take their children’s education seriously. Dr Adutwum conveyed this message while addressing a congregation at the Pentecost Prayer Center.
Ashantibiz
