Two years after the 2022 explosion that devastated Appiatsein Ghana’s Western Region, the community has a new primary school.
For the first time in decades, children in Appiatse can access basic education within their community without having to travel to neighbouring towns. But while the new school has provided much-needed infrastructure, a shortage of teachers, books and accommodation for staff is threatening its ability to provide a complete basic education.
Appiatse M/A Primary School has a six-unit classroom block, a library, a storeroom and an office for the headteacher. An annex block also houses a crèche and kindergarten for younger children as well as a washroom complex.
Before the new school was built, pupils from Appiatsetravelled to communities including Bogoso, Beppo and Heman to attend school. The operation of the new facility has since encouraged some parents to enrol their younger children in Appiatse rather than send them elsewhere.
However, the school’s library remains largely empty.Although the room has desks where pupils can read, its shelves have close to no books. In their place, pupils have filled some of the available space with drawings and paper crafts, proudly displaying work they have produced themselves.
The school’s more pressing challenge, however, is staffing.
Headteacher Moses Aidoo says he currently works with four other teachers. Two are employed and paid by the Parent Teacher Association, while two were posted to the school by the Ghana Education Service.
One of the community teachers handles both the crèche and kindergarten, while another teaches Primary One. The headteacher and the two GES teachers share responsibility for Primary Two to Primary Four. Mr Aidoo says the arrangement is difficult, but the school has little choice.
“It’s not the best arrangement, but we don’t have the means, so we have to manage,” he said.
According to Mr Aidoo, teachers posted to Appiatsesometimes leave after discovering that there is no accommodation available for them. The staffing challenge could become more difficult as the school expands with the new academic year and another class is added. Mr Aidoo says he has raised the concerns with the municipal authorities and is hoping for support. The shortage of teachers also affects the quality of lessons.
Teachers at the school say the current staffing situation makes it difficult to provide pupils with the level of attention and instruction they need.
Among the school’s needs is a junior high school block, which would allow children in Appiatse to complete their basic education within the community.
For Appiatse to have a functioning basic education system within the community, school authorities say three key needs must be addressed: books for the library, a junior high school block and accommodation for teachers.
The new school has restored access to primary education for children in Appiatse. But without additional support, the community’s rebuilt education system remains incomplete.
Story By: Ekow Boakye
