Water scarcity : World Vision to the rescue of Tempane SHS
A solar-powered mechanised borehole provided by World Vision Ghana, a non-governmental organisation, for the Tempane Senior High School (SHS) in the Garu-Tempane District in the Upper East Region in May 2013 has led to a significant increase in enrolment, the headmaster of the school has said.
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According to Mr Dominic Ndego, enrolment had jumped from 300 to 1,868, comprising 1,095 males and 773 females.
An elated headmaster last Wednesday told journalists on a field trip to assess the impact of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions by World Vision on beneficiaries that the fortunes of the school had been completely turned around as a result of the mechanised borehole that produces 100 litres of water every minute.
The Tempane SHS was established in 1998 with a student population of about 300 and eight teachers. Currently, the staff strength is 51.
Improvement in sanitation
Mr Ndego said the mechanised borehole had improved sanitation on the compound and enhanced teaching and learning.
He explained that before the borehole was constructed, students walked long distances to a dam site to fetch water for use in the dormitories and for the school kitchen.
He said diseases such as cholera and bilharzia, which were common among the students, had become a thing of the past since the borehole was constructed.
He added that the finances of the school had also improved, since it no longer had to buy water.
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Also, the headmaster said, before the borehole was constructed, students’ attendance at classes was nothing to write home about, but that too had changed for the better.
Serving community
According to Mr Ndego, the borehole also served the town and had thus promoted good community-school relations.
He said maintenance of the facility was undertaken with funds accruing from a fee of GH¢2 paid by each student every term.
World Vision has also provided football jerseys, water tanks to store water and textbooks to the Tempane SHS.
The WASH Manager of World Vision, Mr Atta Arhin, thanked the headmaster for the assistance accorded the organisation to enable it to offer help to the school and encouraged the school authorities to ensure continued maintenance of the facility so that it would serve the school better.
Writer’s email: edmund.asante@graphic.com.gh