For many schoolchildren across Ghana, getting to class is as simple as walking or boarding a bus. But for pupils in Avetakpo, a community in the Ho West District of the Volta Region, the journey to school is a daily gamble with their lives.
Each morning, these children are forced to swim across a stream just to attend lessons — a dangerous routine that turns the pursuit of education into a test of survival.
The situation becomes even more alarming during the rainy season. What is normally a manageable stream swells into a fast-moving river, making the crossing far more hazardous. Despite the risks, the children press on, often arriving at school drenched, exhausted, and shaken before the day’s learning even begins.
For many of them, the choice is stark: risk their lives or miss school.
Residents say the situation is not just a challenge but a growing crisis. The constant threat of drowning looms over the children, affecting not only their safety but also their ability to concentrate and keep up academically.
Local advocates warn that education and safety in Avetakpo have become inseparable issues. Without safe access to school, the right to education remains compromised.
The community is now calling for urgent intervention, highlighting two critical needs: the construction of a bridge or a reliable road to bypass the stream, and targeted support to ensure affected pupils do not fall behind their peers.
They are appealing directly to government, particularly the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the Ministry of Education Ghana, as well as NGOs and development partners, to provide the technical and financial support needed to resolve the situation.
For the people of Avetakpo, this is more than a complaint; it is a desperate plea to protect their children and secure their future.
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