DRAFT REPORT ON FIELD TRIP EMBARKED UPON BY THE OKAIKWEI NORTH MUNICIPAL EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY 26TH OCTOBER, 2020.
Members of the Committee gathered at the Municipal Assembly premises by 8:30am
The team set off at 9:56am from the Assembly to their first point of call at Alogboshie 1 and 2 school compound. Upon arrival, the team interacted with the two head teachers who were at post at the time. The attendance of the pupils was encouraging. The management had no issues with the supply of the PPEs and the One Hot meal a day as supplied to the children. The team toured the compound to ascertain for itself the state of the school facilities. The team inspected an uncompleted six (6) unit classroom block initiated by the Hon. Fuseni Issah MP for the area which was at the Lentil level. There were no wash rooms nor offices attached to the new building.
Challenges
- Inadequate furniture for lower primary and the KG.
- Invasion by intruders and wee smokers.
- Toilet facility is not in good shape, needs renovation.
- The schools have problems with rubbish disposal. There is not a designated place for the community and the service providers don’t pick from the school
- due to the school not having funds to pay. The community members also used the back of the school buildings as their dumping place.
- The head teachers made an appeal to the Committee to follow up on the documentation on the school land as released by the Achimota stool land to the people of Alogboshie.
Recommendations: The Committee recommends that the Municipal Environmental officer writes to the houses around the school to stop dumping refuse on the school compound.
ACHIMOTA ANGLICAN COMPOUND
The team moved to the Anglican JHS schools compound. The team met Mr. Laryea the head teacher on arrival at 11:11am.
The team’s interaction with him revealed that out of 102 pupils, 99 of them had reported and had been regular at school.
He indicated that, there had not been any problem concerning the provision of one hot meal a day and the supply of the PPEs.
The School was in session and teaching and learning was in progress upon the arrival of the team.
Challenges
- The fear of not completing the ongoing renovation and construction of the 18-unit classroom for the JHS before reopening of schools in January 2021.
- The JHS pupils currently occupy the primary block for their teaching and learning.
- The major challenge of the school was whether the JHS building which was under renovation and was completely being reconstructed to build an 18 – unit classroom block by the Municipal Assembly could be completed and ready for use before schools reopened in January 2021. He said the JHS 2 students were occupying the primary block because the primary school was not in session.
- The head teacher also informed the team that there was no toilet facility at the school. As a result, most pupils use that as an excuse to run away from school and this is a major concern to him. He also talked about football activities which sometimes disrupted teaching and learning. He said the Church of Pentecost was occupying part of the school land and callled on the team to take it up.
The team again observed that there was no project sign post indicating the name of the contractor and the agency responsible for the construction.
APENKWA PRESBY AND SHIAYENNOR JHS COMPOUND.
The team met the head teacher of Apenkwa Presby Basic at post and interacted with him. He informed the team that he has 104 pupils in JHS 2 and 93 of them were present. Teachers were at post teaching. There were no problems regarding the supply of the PPES and the one hot meal a day being supplied.
The team took a tour around the new school building and discovered that there were intruders sleeping in some of rooms. In some of the rooms, the team discovered some substance suspected to be ‘weed’. The team called on the police who came to arrest one of the gentlemen who was still sleeping at the time we got there, he was arrested and taken away with all the weed seeds and other substances found in the rooms.
Challenges
- No Science and ICT Lab for practical lessons.
- No common room for teachers
- The new school building was being used by wee smokers as a hideout.
- There has been constant attempt by these groups to break into the classrooms and the head teacher’s office.
- The roof of the school building leaks badly
- Water flow to the toilet facility is problematic.
- The need for a security person and somebody to keep and manage the toilet facility for them.
Meanwhile the head teacher of Shiayennor complained of short supply of food to the pupils. She said her pupils’ population was 104 yet the caterer supplies food for only 86 pupils which was the population for the previous form three candidates and all attempts to have the caterer correct this anomaly proved futile.
TESANO AND DANBOI JHS COMPOUND
The team met the teachers teaching at their respective schools. There were no problems regarding the supply of the PPEs and the one hot meal a day.
Challenges
- The schools on the compound have experienced theft cases.
- Problem of insecurity
- The head teachers Prayed to the Assembly to complete the 18 unit classrooms block for use.
The team observed a 6 unit Getfund project which was about beginning. The foundation had been dug.
FADAMA CLUSTER OF SCHOOLS COMPOUND
The team arrived on the compound just at the time the schools had closed their pupils for the day.
The population of JHS 2 PUPILS of the various schools are as follows:
ABEKA 1 JHS – 78 Pupils
ABBEKA 2 JHS – 80 Pupils
ABEKA 3 JHS – 88 Pupils
ABEKA 4 JHS – 58 Pupils
According to the head teachers, there were no challenges in respect of the supply of the PPEs and the provision of one hot meal a day.
The team inspected the state of the millennium building on the compound.
Challenges
- Huge cost in disposal of solid waste weekly.
- No classrooms for Abeka 3 primary 1-6 pupils as schools are likely to reopen in January 2021.
- Stolen chairs from Abeka 3 KG Classrooms.
- Problem with security as the compound is used as a thorough fare by members of the community.
- Roofing of Abeka 2 JHS leaking profusely when it rains.
- Theft cases recorded in some of the schools
- Security problem. Pleaded for a security person to take care of the facilities on the compound.
The team observed that some of the pupils relaxed in strictly wearing the nose masks. Also, there were no noticeboards at schools where projects were going on.
Recommendations
The team recommends occasional visitations to the schools to acquaint themselves with first hand challenges of the schools and to recommend measures to improve teaching and learning.
Further, the team recommends that the Assembly take steps to complete all the new structures on school compounds within the municipality.
The team equally recommends the Environmental unit of the Assembly to take steps to halt the school compounds that are used as refuse dump by community members (at (Alogboshie compound).
Click to download:MEOC FIELD TRIP REPORT
By:Onma.gov.gh
