Credit: Michael Foli Jackidy
Dzodze (V/R), June 27, GNA – The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of Dzodze-Penyi Senior High School (DZOSEC) has commissioned a two-bedroom semi-detached bungalow to accommodate the school’s housemistresses as part of efforts to improve student welfare and strengthen the supervision of female boarders.
The commissioning, held on Friday, coincided with the election of a new PTA executive to steer the affairs of the Association.
Rev. Martin Amenaki, Municipal Chief Executive for Ketu North, who commissioned the facility, commended the PTA for financing the project, describing it as a major contribution to improving the welfare and security of students.
He said the bungalow would enable the Senior Housemistress and other female staff to reside close to the girls’ dormitory, allowing them to respond promptly to emergencies and provide more effective supervision.
Rev. Amenaki noted that the lack of residential accommodation had previously compelled the Senior Housemistress to travel from home to the school, sometimes at night, to attend to sick students, making her work difficult.
He assured the school community that the Government, through the Municipal Assembly and Mr Eric Edem Agbana, Member of Parliament for Ketu North, would continue to support infrastructure development at the school to improve teaching and learning.
He stressed that the Government alone could not meet all educational infrastructure needs and called on PTAs and other stakeholders to complement government efforts.
Ms Vivienne Sessi, Headmistress of DZOSEC, thanked the PTA for completing the bungalow and described it as a timely intervention that would strengthen supervision in the girls’ dormitory.
She expressed concern over the school’s recent West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) performance and urged parents to support their children’s academic work to improve results.
The Headmistress also cautioned students against indiscipline, indecent dressing and immoral behaviour, warning that the school would not tolerate misconduct.
Mr Christian Atsu, National Chairman of the PTA, explained that PTAs generated revenue mainly through project levies and membership dues, adding that any major project required approval from the National Executive Committee.
He announced that the Association had introduced standardised official receipt books nationwide to improve accountability, transparency and financial credibility.
Mr Emmanuel Kwesi Adenyo, Chairman of the DZOSEC PTA, said the Association had built on the foundation laid by previous executives by undertaking several infrastructure projects and academic support initiatives.
He listed some of the interventions as the construction of a 14-unit classroom block, sponsorship of extra classes, establishment of an ICT laboratory, support for the school’s participation in the National Science and Maths Quiz, provision of furniture and stationery, support for sporting activities, development of a parents’ communication system, and the establishment of an ICT database for the Association.
Mr Adenyo said the newly commissioned bungalow became necessary following concerns over the safety and welfare of female students in the boarding house.
He said a special project committee was established to oversee the construction of the facility and expressed satisfaction that the project had been completed despite several challenges.
Mr Adenyo alleged that the Association encountered resistance from the immediate past school administration during the implementation of the project, including difficulties in mobilising funds and executing some PTA programmes.
He also expressed concern over what he described as a decline in academic performance, moral standards and parental support, attributing the situation to a combination of administrative, teacher, student and parental factors.
He appealed to the newly elected PTA executives to continue supporting academic improvement, student discipline and infrastructure development while working closely with the school management.
Mr Adenyo further disclosed that the school management had requested temporary accommodation for the newly posted Headmistress in one section of the bungalow pending the provision of permanent official accommodation.
He thanked parents for their continuous support and urged the new executives to build on the achievements of the outgoing administration while avoiding the challenges encountered in the past.
Mr Adenyo expressed confidence that, through effective collaboration among parents, teachers, school management and other stakeholders, DZOSEC would regain its reputation as one of the leading second-cycle institutions in the Volta Region.
GNA
Edited By: Maxwell Awumah/Audrey Dekalu