Parents withdraw children from Onyanfunso Basic School over collapsing building

Parents in Onyanfunso and other surrounding communities are withdrawing their children from the Onyanfunso M/A Basic School located in the West Akim Municipality which is in the Eastern Region of Ghana due to the perilous condition of the school’s buildings.

The school, constructed in 1962 with mud by the community has never seen any major renovation, thereby deteriorating to near collapse.

The school serves five farming communities; Parkeso, Adeiso, Aduasenso No.1 and Aduansenso No.2, and Onyanfunso.

Starr News’ Eastern regional correspondent Kojo Ansah reports that even though the classes start from kindergarten to class six, the classrooms are only three, therefore, classes are merged while those in the lower primary study in an Apostolic Church building.

Teachers at the lower primary write on tables converted as teaching boards. The mud classroom blocks are near collapse with tattered and ripped-off roofs.

Ansah adds that academic work is disrupted whenever it rains.

“The perilous state of the school building is discouraging parents from enrolling their children while others have withdrawn their kids for fear that the school building will collapse on them. This has reduced the population of the school from 139 in 2020 to 62 currently.”

The Headteacher of the school Dzamasi Thomas said teaching and learning are always disrupted with fears that the rainy season will impede academics due to the condition of the school.

He expressed fear the school may collapse if the situation remains the same.

The Chairman of the School’s Management Committee Alex Takyi expressed worry over the government’s neglect of the school. He appealed to NGOs and philanthropists to come to their aid.

For the assembly member of the area Alex Oppong, the West Akyem Assembly, and the Ghana Education Service have not responded to their numerous letters for support.