John Dramani Mahama, the Former President, has attributed the issue of inadequate dormitories in some Senior High Schools, to the Alufo-Addo-led government for its failure to complete educational projects which were under construction, during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) period.
He argued that under the current government, infrastructure such as administration blocks, lecture halls and dormitories have stalled. This comes on the back of a viral video, which indicated that some students of Ghana Senior High School (GHANASCO) in Tamale are using toilet cubicles as a boys’ dormitory.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) interdicted the headmaster and senior housemaster of the school, for investigations to commence. Yesterday, GES ordered some its officials to the school to conduct an investigation and send a report of the findings to the Headquarters. The media is yet to get a hold of the information, secured after the visit.
Speaking to delegates at Nkwanta in the Oti Region, John Mahama claims feeding in some schools is also a challenge.
“The students are unable to get a decent place to sleep when they go to school because the government has refused to continue most of the infrastructure, including dormitories which were under construction before we left office. This situation poses a challenge to the educational sector. Most of the students also go hungry while in school, Headmasters are prevented from intervening…We will change the situation in our next government.”
John Dramani Mahama
Temporarily, after being interdicted by the GES, the embattled headmaster of GHANASCO, Douglas Yakubu, averred the story was staged, with intentions of tarnishing the image of the school, by the journalist.
However, Prince Kwame Tamakloe, the journalist behind the story of some students of the Ghana Senior High School in Tamale sleeping in toilet cubicles, rejected claims of the videos being staged.
Mr. Tamakloe insisted that contrary to claims by the Headmaster, the students confirmed sleeping in the toilet cubicles, due to a lack of space to accommodate them in the dormitories.
“The videos that came out of the toilets that have been converted into dormitories, is just a teaser. It is unfortunate and funny to hear the headmaster say that it was staged. I went there during the day and picked these shots. If it was staged, I wouldn’t have taken videos of cubicles having mattresses and others not having one. I schooled at Tamale Senior High School and I know how things are done here.”
Prince Kwame Tamakloe
Moreover, Mr. Tamakloe added that the headmaster denied knowledge of the toilets being used as dormitories, when he confronted him with videos.
Haruna Iddrisu Adresses ‘Toilet’ Dormitory Fiasco
The Member of Parliament for the Tamale South constituency, Haruna Iddrisu, is unhappy that toilet cubicles have been converted into accommodation facilities for students at Ghana Senior High School in Tamale.
The former Minority Leader in a statement, described the development as unfortunate and called for further investigations to ascertain the truth of the matter.
“My attention has been drawn to a viral video purporting to be emanating from the Ghana Senior High School (GHANASCO), Tamale, in the Tamale South Constituency. The narration in the said video alleged that toilet cubicles have been converted into accommodation facilities for students of the school. The conditions in the purported video, if true, are unfortunate and disappointing.
“Whiles keenly awaiting the report from the investigation, I call on Government, the GES and the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to take a comprehensive review of the infrastructure requirements and other complimentary facilities, needed to support effective teaching and learning in School.”
Haruna Iddrisu
Haruna Iddrisu, under whose constituency GHANASCO is sited, endorsed the decision of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to institute an independent inquiry and said he will visit the school to ascertain the situation for himself.
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