Pupils in the rural part of Lower Manya Krobo are pointing accusing fingers to bad road network in the area as being a major cause of student absenteeism and lateness, especially on market days.
Mark Tetteh, a Junior High School form three pupil of Tsledom MA basic school made this ordeal known after a handing over ceremony in the community on Friday.
The people of Tsledom, one of the communities in the area transports their farm produce to Akosombo and Agormanya markets on Mondays and Thursdays and Wednesdays respectively.
The most common economic activity of settlers in the communities in the rural areas is farming and its related activities.
“Unlike market days, we do not come to school late. Most of my mates come to school late or do not come at all because they assist their parent to offload goods on market days,” Mark told Trust FM.
“The school has better facilities, the community and the teachers are doing well but for poor road network, some of our teachers report to school around 10:00 am, thus disorganizing the lesson time table,” another pupil added.
Some pupils further noted that in an emergency situation, where sick persons including pupils are to be transported to nearby health facilities, travel time is delayed as a result of lack of vehicle plying the poor roads.
Tetteh Mary on her part, held the view that with good road and a sick bay in the school, the Tsledom community would be known in other places.
According to her, the teachers of the school counsel the pupils regularly, shaping their character and behaviour.
Reacting to adolescent health and education needs, Mary said well-wishers have donated sanitary pads meant for use in a period of 1 year to the school female pupils of the school. She added that her mother taught her about menstrual hygiene and the need to keep oneself clean when menstruating.
Authorities in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality including the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Simon Kweku Tetteh, Director of Education for the area and his entourage, traditional representation from the Manya Krobo Traditional Council and the Eastern Regional School Help Education Program (SHEP), Mr. Godfred Caesar have joined Ms. Mercy Tettey on Friday afternoon to handover a 9-bedroom teachers’ bungalow to ease the accommodation burden in the Tsledom MA basic.
While official vehicles that plied the Akosombo-Tsledom route for the function found it difficult to access the road, health facilities are also distanced from the Tsledom community.
The Tsledom MA basic school is currently having 5 teachers including the headteacher, teaching from Kindergarten (KG) to Junior High School (JHS). But according to a Public Relations Officer at the Yilo Krobo Directorate of Education, Mr. Solomon Sackitey, 14 teachers are expected to be with a basic school, teaching from KG through to JHS.
However, the Municipal Director of Education at Lower Manya Krobo, Mr. Samuel Kwesi Tettey has assured that teachers from over staffed schools in the urban part of the municipality will soon be redirected to low staff strength schools including Tsledom while awaiting posting of newly trained teachers.
Some other communities surrounding Tsledom which use similar road network are Wawase, Tortibo, Ayimersu, Yede, Obelemanya, Oborpa East and West, Apla and Aboben.
Source: www.trustfmonline.com
