Aburi Girls, Adonten SHS push for infrastructural expansion

The authorities at the Aburi Girls' Senior High School (SHS) and the Adonten SHS in the Eastern Region have appealed to the government for urgent infrastructure expansion to address mounting pressure on facilities caused by rising student enrolments.

The school's authorities said the existing infrastructure no longer served the growing student population, creating challenges with accommodation, academic activities and the overall learning environment.

They made the appeal when the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, visited the schools last Wednesday ahead of the West African Senior School Certification Examination (WASSCE) English Language paper.

The Headmistress of the Aburi Girls' SHS, Wilhemina Obuobisa-Atakora, requested an expanded assembly hall and additional dormitory facilities to support the school's operations and improve conditions for students.

She indicated that the school had begun work on an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) learning centre and that further investment was necessary to meet students' needs and maintain the institution's status as one of the country's leading second-cycle schools.

Some management members of the Adonten SHS drew attention to more pressing infrastructure deficits, including inadequate classroom space, insufficient dormitory accommodation and the absence of an assembly hall.

They informed the Minister of Education that the school's existing facilities had struggled to keep pace with enrolment growth, affecting both academic and co-curricular activities.

The authorities explained that the lack of an assembly hall deprived the school of a dedicated space for official gatherings, student programmes and other institutional activities, while overcrowding in some facilities has put additional pressure on available resources.

Management

In his response, Mr Iddrisu acknowledged the concerns raised by the two schools and assured management that the government would consider the requests as part of broader efforts to expand infrastructure across SHSs nationwide.

He reassured them that they would benefit from the expansion of infrastructure in second-cycle schools across the country, following an expected $300 million approval from the World Bank.

Mr Iddrisu said the intervention would address persistent shortages of classrooms, dormitories, laboratories and other facilities that had emerged following the sharp rise in student enrolment under the Free SHS programme.

"We intend to convert 30 Category C schools to B and 20 Category B schools to A with 300 million dollars for expanded infrastructure across the country," he said.

The minister further indicated that the government would continue investing in Category A schools to ease pressure on existing facilities and improve students' learning environment.

He said the ongoing work on the ICT learning centre at the Aburi Girls would continue, adding that the government would consider additional projects, including a dormitory and an expanded assembly hall.

Mr Iddrisu also assured authorities at the Adonten SHS that the government would respond to the school's infrastructure needs, including more dormitories, classrooms and an assembly hall.

Visit

The minister was accompanied by the Director-G

eneral of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Ernest Kofi Davis and the Member of Parliament for the Akuapem South Constituency, Lawrencia Adwoa Dziwornu.