Abomosu (E/R), Feb 15, GNA- The Valco Trust Fund, the charity wing of Volta Aluminum Company Limited (VALCO) has commissioned and handed over 17 newly constructed and rehabilitated basic schools to the Ghana Education Service (GES).
The commissioned schools, located in 17 communities across 15 regions of the country included 14 two-unit kindergarten classrooms, a six-unit classroom primary school and two three-unit classrooms Junior High Schools.
This was in line with the Trust’s “Zero Schools Under Trees Project,” in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, which seeks to construct 5,000 schools over a five-year period, to eliminate schools under trees and provide conducive teaching and learning environment for pupils, students, and teachers.
All the schools were furnished with a canteen, five modern W/C washrooms for the pupils and staff, a mechanized borehole, Polytanks, white boards, furniture for both for the classrooms and the canteen, offices for principals, bookshelves, storeroom, and electricity.
The unit cost of a KG school was GHC324,994.00 while the unit cost of the primary and JHS were GHC762,931.00 and GHC623,076.00, respectively.
They were Teong KG in the Tempane District of the Upper East Region; Abomosu Presby Primary School and Akrofufu Presby JHS in the Atiwa West of the Eastern Region; Aboabugya Junior High School in the Kwabre South of the Ashanti Region and Kambonsiya D/A KG in the Karaga District of the Northern Region.
Others included Ayitikorpe D/A KG in the Akatsi South Municipal of the Volta Region; Bagro Odumase KG in the Jasikan District of the Oti Region; Zankum KG in the North-East Gonja District of the Savannah Region; Gambrongo Awiadone KG in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region; Nkwantabisa D/A KG in the Tano North District of the Ahafo Region.
The rest were Awisa M/A KGin the Wenchi Municipality of the Bono Region; Obrayeko KG in the Assin Fosu District of the Central Region; Dansokrom M/A KG, Amenfi East of the Western Region; Kotosaa D/A KG in Juaboso, Western North Region; Yao-Yiri M/A KG, Jirapa District of the Upper West Region; Kparibu Marakaz E/A KG in the West Mamprusi District, North East Region and Junction Mangoase KG in the Nkoranza North, Bono East Region.
Mr Kelvin Yeboah, Executive Director, Valco Trust Fund, speaking at a ceremony held at Abomosu in the Atiwa West District of the Eastern Region, to commission all the 17 schools, said it was disheartening to see children in Ghana continue to grapple with access to quality basic education.
He said, it was for this reason, the Trust launched the elimination of schools under trees project to provide decent classrooms for students across the country to enhance teaching and learning.
He said the 17 schools were the last of the 18 it planned to complete in the first three months after the launch of the project, the first of which was the Faithkope D/A KG in the Ada East district of the Greater Accra Region.
“From what we have been able to do so far, it means we can always do more with less funds. In-fact, with only GHC162million, we would be able to build 500 units of KG Schools or 260 units of Junior High Schools or 212 units of primary schools with all the modern facilities,” he added.
It is estimated that over 2,000 schools nationwide were under trees, while some 2,986 schools were in a deplorable condition.
Mr Yeboah disclosed the second phase of the project which involves the construction of some 22 schools, in the southern part of the country, had commenced and were expected to be completed in May this year, adding that the third batch of 30 schools, also to be constructed in the northern part, would start in June, this year.
Aside from this, he said the trust was also in the process of renovating a four-storey Graduate students’ residential facility for the University of Cape Coast in the Central Region.
“We are also going through the process to construct a new 80 bed residential facility for the medical students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology on their Bekwai Campus within the Bekwai Municipality of the Ashanti Region,” he assured.
Mr John Ntim-Fordjour, Deputy Minister of Education, said the government had shown its willingness to eliminate all schools under trees since it assumed office in 2017.
He said a total of 1,001 school projects inherited by the government in 2017 had been completed and handed over for use, adding that over 2000 infrastructure projects had also initiated with many completed since this government assumed office.
He commended management of the Trust and Ministry of Energy for the initiative which, he said, would complement government’s efforts of providing decent and quality education to all.
Mr Mohammed Amin Adam, a Deputy Energy Minister, said the Ministry had committed to provide electricity for these schools at no cost to the communities.
While appealing to Ghanaians to support the proposed e-levy to enable them government to undertake more infrastructure projects, he urged the community leaders to ensure that these schools were well maintained to serve generations to come.
On June 1, the Trust, with support of the Ministry of Energy launched the Elimination of schools under trees project to construct 5,403.
The entire effort, estimated to cost GH¢3.5 billion.
GNA