Prevailing high teacher deficit, lack of teaching and learning materials and furniture are hindering effective teaching and learning outcomes at Ogbodokope, a semi-island community in the Kwahu Afram Plains South District of Eastern Region.
Teachers have refused postings to the community, because there is no accommodation to host them.
The community is easily accessible through a voyage on the Volta River. The community is surrounded by five other human settlements, but they are all deprived of basic amenities. Electricity, potable water and health facilities are non-existent.
The rapid population growth of the fishing community convinced the Ghana education service to establish a school there to provide formal basic education for children of school going age while reducing child labour and trafficking.
Even though the school was at the onset without a structure, pupils desirous of being educated attended school under trees for more than two decades. currently, two of the teachers are products of the Ogbodokope primary school.
The community decided to put up a structure for the school when efforts to get education authorities to provide support to alleviate the school under trees proved difficult. The construction of mud classroom structures for the school have stalled for years.
Through communal labour, the community put up another six-unit accommodation for the teachers and the MP for the area also supported with some roofing sheets.
Although the structures have not been fitted with doors and windows, teachers have converted it into classrooms. The structure serves pupils during the day and in the evening, it is a shelter for goats.
Furniture is also no furniture for the pupils.
At the time of the news team’s visit, it had rained the previous day and water collected in the room had just receded leaving traces of moist on the ground and that was where the pupils sit during contact hours.
Teachers say they are worried.
Manasseh Ogbodo Kuma, one of two teachers explained that “the situation about furniture in the school is a major concern that we have been dealing with. Sometimes those who could not sit on the floor to learn bring kitchen stool to school to sit on and return it home after contact hours, “he said.
The teachers are not willing to accept postings to this community because there are no accommodation facilities.
This has compounded the workload on the two teachers there.
Manasseh Ogbodo Kuma handles the entire school on occasions the head teacher run administrative duties.
At Ogbodokope, access to basic health care is another hurdle residents are confronted with. The assemblyman for the area, is equally worried.
For residents of Ogbodokope, improving education outcomes and health situations will go a long way to impact their lives.
By Stanley Nii Blewu
