By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu,
Lawoshime (VR), June 27, GNA – Pupils of Lawoshime M/A basic school in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region have appealed to the government, philanthropists, individuals and well-wishers to help them assess education.
The pupils and teachers have to cross overflowing lakes in the area daily to school, making life extremely difficult for pupils and teachers, and people in communities, including Mamime, Hagodzi, Senugbe, and Hatorgod.
Mr. Israel Mensah, the Assembly Member of the area, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the situation was dire affecting six teachers, 155 school boys, and 68 school girls.
“These individuals are facing significant challenges in accessing school facilities due to the floodwaters, and this is affecting the teaching and learning in the school.”
He explained that the pupils and teachers from the surrounding communities waded through the flowing water cause by flooding to access school facilities daily, which endangered their safety and put education at a greater risk.
Mr. Mensah said that the lack of proper protective gear such as Wellington boots, life jackets and canoes for transportation, had further worsened the situation, making teaching and learning extremely difficult and nearly impossible under such conditions.
“The situation is very bad, and due to that we have decided to suspend school for Kindergarten and lower primary pupils to avoid endangering their lives while crossing the deep rivers.”
He said that education was a fundamental right that should not be denied to anybody regardless of their circumstances and predicaments, and the flood in Lawoshime and the surrounding communities had raised concerns about the need for support to ensure that children in such affected communities could continue to access education safely without any challenges or fear.
Mr. Mensah said that for the challenges to the education to be mitigated, items such as Wellington boots, life jackets, canoe should be provided for both teachers and pupils to avoid any unforseen dangers, and appealed to the public for support.
He outlined other challenges of the area such as lack of electricity, roads, water, health centre, among others and appealed to the government and other corporate organisations to help solve the pressing challenges.
Some residents at Lawoshime, Hagodzi, Mamime, Songbe, and Hatorgodo, among others expressed frustration over the disturbing situation.
They said the aged and pregnant women would have to cross the lakes even under difficult health conditions.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Christian Akorlie