Asebi D/A Basic School, located in the Shai-Osudoku District of Greater Accra, is allegedly grappling with a dire shortage of classrooms and educational facilities, resulting in some classes being conducted under trees.
This situation is having a detrimental effect on the academic performance of the school, which serves 300 students and employs 15 teachers.
The Head Teacher, Mr. Patrick Narh Lawer, has reached out to charitable organizations for support in constructing additional classrooms to improve the educational environment.
He noted that, during rainy days, the school often merges classes, further complicating the learning process.
In an interview with the Ghanaian Times during a recent visit, Mr. Lawer explained that, ideally, a basic school should have 11 classrooms to adequately accommodate its student body.
Unfortunately, Asebi D/A Basic School currently has only nine, with many of these rooms in poor condition, posing health and safety hazards for both staff and students.
Additionally, Mr. Lawer highlighted the insufficient number of desks and the lack of office space for administrative duties. The worn-out floors in classrooms, which have developed holes, contribute to dust accumulation, impacting the learning atmosphere.
The school also lacks adequate storage for teaching materials, computers for ICT education, and sufficient desks for all students.
“Teachers are forced to carry out administrative work under trees due to the lack of adequate office space,” he explained.
Mr. Lawer pointed to these challenges as significant contributors to the school’s declining academic performance over the years, highlighting the urgent need for community and stakeholder engagement to help address these issues.
“We need desktop computers to teach ICT effectively, desks, and graph boards for teaching graph-related topics. We also need to restock our library,” he said.
He expressed disappointment over the absence of sports equipment, such as jerseys, footballs, volleyballs, and netballs.
Additionally, Mr. Lawer voiced concerns regarding teacher accommodation, stating that the existing school bungalow is beyond repair and emphasizing the need for a new building.
“We humbly seek the support of the government, benevolent individuals, and former students to come to our aid,” he added.
The school is preparing to commemorate its 30th anniversary next month, on October 11, 2024. While the milestone was technically achieved last year, financial constraints necessitated the postponement of the celebration.
“We hope that the celebration will reflect the support and improvements we wish to achieve for our school,” Mr. Lawer said.
Established on October 11, 1993, the Asebi D/A Basic School is located in the Greater Accra Region.