With no senior high school in the Sekyere Afram Plains District of the Ashanti Region, the announcement of a community day senior high school brought immense excitement to the residents. The school building was completed and ready for use in 2017, but its location raised concerns about accessibility for students. Although fully furnished, the school has remained unused for years.
In 2020, the Ministry of Education awarded a contract to construct a dormitory block to support the E-block project. However, construction halted at 60 percent completion due to financial constraints. Both the E-block and the dormitory now stand abandoned in the bush. For many junior high school graduates in the area, the dream of attending this school remains uncertain.
“I’m one of those who completed JHS this year, hoping to continue my education here. But it seems nothing is being done to open the school anytime soon. We appeal to the government to make the facility operational so we don’t have to travel far for school,” pleads 15-year-old Adjei Emmanuel. Janet Boahemaa, a JHS 3 student, echoes this sentiment, saying, “The school was completed long ago, but it’s still not in use. Once it opens, many of us from nearby villages can continue our education without stress.”
Meanwhile, the school building is deteriorating, with ceilings collapsing and walls developing cracks. Reports indicate that the furniture is slowly disappearing. This situation has frustrated residents. Michael Attah, a unit-committee member in Drobonso, shared, “We organized a cleanup of the entire building last year when we heard it was about to open, but it didn’t happen. We’re worried and just want to see the school in use. We can’t keep sending our children to far-off places like Kumawu or Kumasi for senior high school when we have a school here.”
Prince Ponyo, another resident, is tired of the unfulfilled promises to open the school. “Every year, they promise to operationalize the school, but it never happens. Although I didn’t have the chance to attend senior high, having this school functional would allow me to encourage my younger siblings to achieve what I couldn’t,” he said.
However, the District Chief Executive, Sulemana Hamidu, has assured that the Minister of Education has committed to opening the E-block by September 2024. According to him, the only remaining obstacle is the extension of electricity to the area, a process that is already underway. Residents are eagerly awaiting the school’s opening, believing it will not only bring senior high education closer to them but also help develop the area.
credit:3News
