Residents of Oyoko in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region are urging the government to intervene in restoring the deplorable state of the Oyoko Junior High School structures.
Built before Ghana gained independence in 1957, the school has stood the test of time but has never undergone renovation.
Some 65 years later, the school has been left behind, struggling to provide a safe learning environment for its students.
The dilapidated state of the school building has reached a critical point, with concerned community members warning that it is on the brink of collapse, posing a significant risk to the students and staff.
Kwame Boateng, a leader of the concerned community members of Oyoko, described the situation as alarming, stating that both teachers and students live in fear as they occupy the unsafe structure for academic activities.
“The school buildings are on the verge of collapse, and with the rainy season looming, it will take only God’s intervention to protect the schoolchildren and the teachers if anything happens,” he said.
He explained that heavy rain blew off the school’s roofing sheets in 2024, prompting community members and alumni to pitch in for repairs. However, their fundraising fell short, and the project remains incomplete.
He noted that several letters have been submitted to the authorities, requesting their help to renovate the school structures, but so far, there has been no positive response.
“We’ve documented the destruction caused by the rain, with videos showing children’s books getting soaked. Community members and old students contributed funds and sought help from philanthropists to renovate the school, but it wasn’t enough,” he said.
“We’ve written to the District Education Directorate and met with the former DCE, who promised support, but a change in government seems to have put things on hold.”
He further revealed that the school’s only toilet facility has deteriorated badly, creating a breeding ground for snakes.
He alleged that reptiles frequently emerge from the abandoned and broken-down facility, terrorizing students during school hours.
“Snakes are chasing and frightening our children. We are afraid that one day we may wake up to a tragic incident.”
In addition to the crumbling JHS structure, old students of the school have highlighted similar challenges facing Oyoko Senior High School (SHS), including lack of potable water, unreliable electricity supply, and inadequate essential infrastructure.
They are urging the Bosomtwe District Assembly, Ghana Education Service (GES), and relevant authorities to urgently renovate the school building and fix the toilet facility to safeguard students’ well-being.
They are also reaching out to philanthropists and benevolent individuals for support.
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