By Osman Seidu Nipa
Wa, (UW/R), June 26, GNA – The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of the Tendamba Primary School in Wa have expressed dissatisfaction about the current state of the school’s infrastructure and facilities after its relocation to the Tendamba Junior High School premises.
It said the school previously ran ‘A’ and ‘B’ streams to ensure a smaller class size for effective teaching and learning, but that each of the two classes had been merged into a single class, resulting in a relatively large class size.
Mr Issahaku Adams, the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Chairman of the school, said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa.
He, however, indicated that the classes were within acceptable limits, though he could not mention the number of students in each class.
The Tendamba Primary School was demolished about a week ago to make way for the government’s 24-Hour Economy Market, forcing the learners to be relocated to the premises of Tendamba Junior High School.
The school currently occupies two renovated classroom blocks at the Tendamba Junior High School.
During a visit to the school, the GNA observed that the teachers were seated under a tree.
Meanwhile, Mr Adams said the school had a staff common room at its previous location.
He also raised concerns about the poor condition of the toilet facilities at the new location, which posed a health risk to the pupils.
He said attendance in the school had also dropped since the relocation, as some parents had withdrawn their children and enrolled them in other schools over fears of future displacement.
Mr. Adams said parents who withdrew their children were concerned that the school could face another demolition in the future.
“If they move them here, maybe tomorrow, another day to come, they will say they want to demolish that place too. So, we will move our children to schools that will not be demolished”, he said.
The PTA Chairman revealed that the association had mounted a sustained campaign against the demolition, appealing to the Regional Minister, the Municipal Chief Executive, the Wa Naa, and the Tendamba of the area, but their pleas were ignored.
“We cried to the government for months, begging them not to demolish the school. We gave our various reasons why the government should not demolish the school and leave it for the students to be learning,” he said.
Mr Adams called on the government and stakeholders to provide befitting facilities for Tendamba Primary School, as the current arrangement was unsustainable.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade