Reptiles Chase Pupils At Yamoakrom D/A Primary School

The already deplorable state of classrooms at Yamoakrom District (DA) Assembly Primary School in the Sekyere South District of the Ashanti Region which pose grave danger to about one hundred and fifty (150) pupils has gotten worse, Today can confirm.

This disturbing development, Today gathered, is a result of the constant invasion of the state-owned basic school by dangerous snakes, scorpions and other reptiles.

Today discovered that the development has put the pupils of the school at danger of being bitten by these dangerous reptiles hiding in the surrounding shrubberies around the premises of the school.

The school, which was established in 1984 by the community, according to the Chief of the area, Nana Kwaku Afriyie Mensah, lacks classroom blocks, teaching and learning materials and sanitary facilities among others.

Speaking in an interview with Today on Thursday, July 27, 2017 the chief disclosed that the Yamoakrom District Assembly Primary School had its roof ripped off during a heavy downpour early this year.

That unfortunate situation, according to the worried chief, was negatively affecting the Kindergarten (KG), Primary One, Two and Four classes and subsequently becoming a death trap for both teachers and the pupils on the blindside of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

He stated that as a result, the KG One, Primary One and Two which classes have a population of over sixty (60) pupils have been combined and relocated under trees.

According to Nana Kwaku Afriyie Mensah, the pupils of primary three-six have also been affected by the lack of classrooms which has hit the school, compelling the pupils to study under trees and in some cases mud sheds.

During a visit to the school by Today, pupils in classes one to six numbering about 150, were found studying under a big tree, making teaching and learning difficult.

Some of the pupils were also compelled to bring their own chairs and tables.

Meanwhile Today was told that any time it rains, lessons are disrupted because the pupils studying under the trees and sheds had to be sent home.

Our investigations further revealed that most teachers refused posting to the school due to the lack of accommodation facilities while those who accept posting do not stay for long before they ask for transfer to other places.

Speaking further, Nana Kwaku Afriyie Mensah noted that the situation was quite disturbing and had negative effects on the general performance of school children in the area.

The chief lamented that several appeals to the GES, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area and the Sekyere South District Assembly to provide classroom infrastructure to contain the high enrolment of the school have yielded no positive results.

Currently, a class teacher who has been handling four different classes under a tree told Today on condition anonymity that teaching and learning had become extremely challenging, because classes were being conducted under trees.

He explained that teachers do not even have boards to write on and sometimes had to resort to writing on sheets of paper for the pupils to read, copy and pass on.

According to the teacher, the trees under which the pupils were currently studying were not conducive because the pupils were exposed to harsh weather conditions.

He lamented that it was difficult to hold classes under trees during this period (raining season) as the children often get distracted, trying to cope with the discomfort of the cold weather and the rains.

“Teaching and learning go on in the open; there is no potable water in the school compound, no computer laboratory and computers, so we do not know anything about computer,” a pupil of Primary Two, Nana Yaw Asare, bemoaned.

He also complained bitterly that the snakes have become life-threatening to most of them, particularly the Kindergarten pupils.

Source: Today