About four-hundred (400) students of Aburi Presbyterian Senior High Technical School do not have desks in their classrooms and must either perch with someone or lean against the wall to learn in a situation affecting effective learning.
The introduction of the Free Senior High School has led to exponential population growth with current student population of 2,864 exerting pressure on the limited facilities.
The double track has not been able to affectively ameliorate the pressure due to the woefully inadequate classroom infrastructure to handle the students.
For instance, the School needs about 30 additional classrooms to be able to accommodate the growing student population.
The huge classroom deficit has compelled management to convert an old dining Hall and an Assembly Hall into classrooms.
Meanwhile, a two-Storey 12 unit classroom and a two- Storey Girls Dormitory awarded to Contract in 2016 at the cost of Ghc1, 042,994.43 and Ghc1,440,226.37 respectively have been abandoned while the dormitories are extremely congested.
Speaking at the maiden Foundation Day Lectures instituted by Board Members and Management of the School under the theme “Mirroring the Past, Strategizing for the future,” the Headmaster of the School, David Odjidja, appealed for the completion of the School fencing project to augment safety of students while urging philanthropists and NGOs to help the school provide Staff accommodation to improve teacher visibility for efficient supervision on Campus.
The Headmaster said, despite these numerous Challenges, “academic work continues to improve steadily, even though it could be better”.
He added “it is refreshing to see most of our students in many tertiary Institutions, but it is equally embarrassing to see many more at home because they need to rewrite the WASSCE”.
The Chief of Aburi also the Adontenhene of Akuapem Traditional Area, Otoobuor Djan Kwasi II, who was guest of honour expressed worry over the infrastructural challenges in the School hence appealed to government to ensure that the contractors return to site to complete the abandoned Projects.
He charged the students to persevere and be disciplined.
Aburi Presbyterian Senior High Technical School was officially opened on January 28, 1991 with 24 students and six (6) teachers.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Kojo Ansah