Chemu SHS appeals for boarding facility to safeguard students’ welfare

The Headmistress of the Chemu Senior High School (SHS), Vicentia Kyere Anin-Agyei, has appealed for the construction of a boarding facility to address critical challenges affecting students’ welfare and academic performance.

She explained that the absence of a boarding facility had exposed many students to difficult living conditions, with some female students compelled to live with their boyfriends, leading to cases of teenage pregnancy in the school.

“Some of our students are forced to find homes around the school and end up living with boyfriends and girlfriends. They do not intend to be in such situations but the circumstances push them there,” she said.

“During the recent WASSCE, we had three of our students writing their exams while pregnant,” she added.

Mrs Anin-Agyei made the appeal when the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education visited the school on April 28.

Challenges

She added that commuting daily had become a major hurdle for many students, with some travelling from distant areas such as Afienya and Kasoa.

“Transportation costs range between GHS30 and GHS50 daily, which many parents cannot afford. This significantly affects attendance and punctuality.

“During the WASSCE, we face another major challenge.

Sometimes, when it rains, some candidates struggle to arrive at the examination centre on time because of the long distances they must travel.

According to WAEC regulations, students are not permitted to enter the hall once the exam has started. However, some of our students arrive as late as 30 to 45 minutes after the start time, explaining that they could not get transport early,” she said.

Given those challenges, she stressed the urgent need for a boarding facility to safeguard students’ welfare, boost academic performance and ease the financial burden on parents.

Mrs Anin-Agyei noted that Chemu SHS, established in 1982, currently has a student population of 1,769 and a teaching staff strength of 105.

Due to the growing population, she said the school faced significant infrastructure constraints, explaining that Chemu SHS operated as a transitional school due to a shortage of classrooms, with only 33 available instead of the 45 needed for a smooth single-track system.

She disclosed that a six-unit GETFund classroom block project, which commenced in 2014, remained incomplete, compounding the school’s infrastructure problems.

Despite these challenges, Mrs Anin-Agyei said the school had achieved remarkable academic success over the years, adding that the school had consistently qualified for the National Science and Maths Quiz since 2021 and had been adjudged the best-performing school in the Tema Metropolis since 2022.

In addition, she said the school had excelled in co-curricular activities, winning regional debating competitions, emerging victorious in climate change contests and gaining national recognition through initiatives such as the Justice’s Club, inaugurated by the Chief Justice in 2023.

Committee’s remarks

The Vice Chairman of the Committee, Joseph Kwame Kumah, who also doubles as the Member of Parliament for Kintampo North, expressed his appreciation to the headmistress for the input.