By A.B. Kafui Kanyi, GNA
Ho, Mar. 21, GNA - The Aflao Border Municipal Assembly (M.A) and Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) Basic Schools in Aflao, with a joint pupil population of 3,000 have not toilet facilities.
Consequently, pupils, mainly boys, dash to the beach to defecate with some, not returning to class, Mr Freeman Gobah, Country Director, Pencils of Promise (PoP) an education focused Non-Governmental Organization said on Thursday.
He said teachers of both basic schools, use toilet facilities belonging to CEPS office with a few going home occasionally to defecate.
Mr Gobah said this at the 2019 PoP stakeholders meeting in Ho to review activities of the NGO for the past year and plans for 2019.
He said the worrying situation at the schools, moved PoP to begin the construction of a six-unit classroom block to replace makeshift classrooms for the Aflao Border M.A. Basic School and a 25-unit toilet with hand washing facilities for both schools.
Mr Gobah said the initiative was to promote sanitation and ensure that, the pupils remained in school and enjoyed quality teaching and learning.
He said the NGO in the past six years, have constructed and furnished 153 schools in Volta and Eastern regions with 11 school projects at various levels of completion.
Mr Gobah said the mission was to ensure that every child had access to quality education through “creation” of schools and implementation of education related programmes towards the common goal of education for all.
He commended all stakeholders, especially the Ghana Education Service for the support and promised to continue investment in school infrastructure and teacher support programmes.
Mr Gobah said this year, PoP apart from other interventions would support two Colleges of Education with refresher courses in the areas of social and emotional learning, classroom management and positive discipline in demonstration and partner schools.
He lamented about low community participation in its projects, lack of maintenance of water and sanitation facilities and theft of construction materials at projects sites among others.
Madam Enyonam Amafugah, Volta Regional Director of Education commended PoP for efforts at promoting quality teaching and learning in schools and stated the readiness of the Directorate to support it consolidate gains made.
She described PoP as a trusted partner, which apart from classroom infrastructure, provided 5,400 E-readers to 53 schools, trained 1,032 head and school teachers and circuit supervisors in 61 workshops.
The Regional Director also expressed gratitude to PoP for donating 261 handwashing stations to 60 schools and over 5,000dustbins to 60 schools.
“GES dearly cherish the partnership and we pledge to support to improve education,” she stated.
Madam Monica Ankra, Eastern Regional Director of Education in a speech read on her behalf also praised PoP for extending school infrastructure support to the region, completing 12 projects out of 15 initiated so far.
“Your pencils are shar, they draw and write well, we are proud of you and happy partnering you,” she said.
Pencils of Promise last week celebrated its 500th school project globally at Adzinukope in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta region.
GNA
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