By Yussif Ibrahim
Ejisu (Ash), Aug 11, GNA-The Antwi Mensah and Family Foundation, has cut a sod for the construction of two modern washroom facilities for pupils of Roman Catholic basic schools at Ejisu in the Ashanti Region.
The two facilities come with 16-seater water closet stalls, five of which would serve the kindergarten with the remaining 11 designated for the primary and junior high section.
Also included in the facility is a common shower for the kindergarten as well as changing rooms for both male and female pupils in primary and the junior high school.
Situated in the heart of Ejisu with a population of about 1,200 pupils, this will be the first time the school will have access to a water closet toilet facility since its establishment more than 80 years ago.
Dr. Kofi Antwi Mensah, Co-Chairperson of the Foundation, and an old pupil of the school, at the sod cutting ceremony, said they realised that the school was in dire need of a modern and a clean toilet facility to improve hygiene.
He said though the school had shaped the lives of a lot of people, many of its buildings were in deplorable state.
“It is unfortunate that the school has not seen any major renovations for long.
This doesn’t bode well for a school which has produced a lot of influential people in the society”, he stated.
According to him, the facility would improve the hygienic condition of the school and the environment.
Dr Antwi Mensah added that the washroom facilities were the first of projects lined up by the Foundation to build for the school.
He said after touring the entire school, and listening to the school authorities, they had resolved to give a face-lift to the other structures of the school and possibly put up a computer lab and improve the existing science laboratories.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Ejisu, Samuel Oduro Frimpong lauded the Foundation for coming to the aid of the school.
He mentioned that the NPP government remained committed to improving the quality of teaching and learning in basic schools, and, as a result, had opened the doors for individuals or organisations who share in the vision of the government to work together to improve education in Ghana.
Referencing the President’s inaugural speech in 2017, the MCE said the “Let’s be Citizens and not Spectators” mantra of Prresident Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was a call to energize Ghanaians to play active role by supporting government to develop the country.
The Ejisu Municipal Director of Education Mr Kwabena Owusu also praised the Antwi Mensah and Family Foundation for the initiative.
He said, “I think this gesture could not have come at a better time. We are all witnesses to the sanitation challenges of the school which have really affected teaching and learning. I cannot hide my joy anymore”, he stated.
Mr Owusu said the over GH500,000 facility would serve the pupils of the school, adding that, he would work to ensure that it was properly maintained when completed.
GNA