Assin Darmang (C/R), March 13, – Hundreds of boarding students at Adankwaman Senior High School in the Assin South District of the Central Region have been compelled to take their meals under trees following the collapse of the school’s dining hall.
With the academic year ongoing, students are striving not only for academic success but also coping with difficult conditions that have undermined their dignity and comfort in school life, as efforts to repair the facility remain stalled.
Only a short distance from the damaged dining structure, students gather beneath makeshift tree shelters for breakfast, lunch, and supper.
The arrangement exposes them to intense sunshine, sudden rainfall, dust, and insects from nearby bushes, raising concerns about food contamination and potential health risks.
Nana Baffour Adjei XI, Headmaster of the school, said the situation had persisted for several months, worsening the challenges faced by both students and staff.
He explained that the crumbling walls and deteriorating buildings symbolised the broader infrastructure challenges confronting the institution, which serves more than 1,200 students.
The headmaster spoke when he received Nana Okofo Kwadwo Bi Benti II, Chief of Assin Darmang and Chairman of the School’s Board, together with executives of the Parents-Teachers Association, during a visit to inspect the school’s infrastructure.
The engagement coincided with a visit by Dr Richard Kofi Asiedu, Central Regional Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress and a native of the area.
According to the headmaster, the school, established 43 years ago, still depends largely on mud-built structures, many of which have deteriorated significantly over the years.
He said the current crisis was triggered by a severe rainstorm on June 15, 2024, which tore off the roofing of the main dining hall.
Additional storms in October 2024 and heavy rainfall in April 2025 further damaged the structure, with strong winds destroying the remaining parts and floods worsening the condition.
Although Mr Jonathan Birikorang, the District Chief Executive, the Ghana Education Service and some benevolent individuals had made attempts to address the problem, no significant rehabilitation work has begun, leaving the once functional hall in ruins.
During a tour of the premises, the Ghana News Agency observed a more troubling situation nearby: an open shed located about ten feet from a classroom block, where cooks prepared meals for the entire student population using firewood stoves.
The makeshift kitchen lacked protective screens or barriers, allowing smoke from burning wood to spread freely while flies hovered over food preparation areas, raising serious hygiene concerns.
If the situation persists, observers fear it could pose significant health risks to the students.
Some students, who requested anonymity, said thick smoke from the cooking area often drifted into classrooms during lessons, forcing teachers to halt teaching temporarily while windows were opened to clear the air.
One female student said:
“The smoke makes life difficult for students. Sometimes we rush to finish eating because of the rain or heat, and that affects our concentration in class.”
The Chief of Assin Darmang also expressed concern about security challenges at the school due to the absence of a perimeter fence wall.
According to him, some members of the public now use the school compound as a shortcut route, making it difficult for the limited security personnel to regulate movement.
“Some people blast loud music from their vehicles, loiter during school hours and even harass students.
This situation could easily create chaos, disrupt lessons and instil fear,” he said.
In a brief remark, Dr Asiedu assured the school community of the government’s commitment to support the institution and questioned how students had managed to continue studying under such challenging conditions nearly a year after the disaster.
On behalf of the school, he appealed to government, philanthropists, and the general public to support efforts to address the school’s pressing infrastructure needs.
GHBUSS
13 March 2026
No comments:
Post a Comment