By Benjamin Makafui Attipoe, Hlevi & Kpotame
The South Tongu District Assembly (STDA) in the Volta Region in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES) has begun the painting of two school blocks in the district to mark this year’s 69th independence anniversary. The initiative was aimed among other things at creating the enabling and conducive environment for the learners to pursue their studies. It was under the theme, ‘Building Prosperity, Restoring Hope’.
The decision to deviate from the usual 6th March march-past event to the face-lifting of such schools formed part of the resetting agenda of government including ensuring the judicious use of limited available resources.
The two (2) beneficiary basic schools were the only Islamic public basic school in the district, Darul-Haq Islamic Basic School at Hlevi with an enrolment of 369 pupils as well as the Kpotame Presby Basic School which also has a learner population of 682.
The two (2) separate durbars to mark the independence day event in the district attracted not only the school pupils, their parents and teachers but also all the stakeholders of education in the area including traditional rulers, some security personnel, departmental heads of the Assembly, Assembly Members, the clergy as well as members of the general public.
The political and educational leaders present at the event took their turns to paint parts of the buildings in the two schools. The painting exercise was jointly undertaken by some sixteen (16) students and four (4) teachers of the Visual Arts Department of the Sogakope Senior High School (SOGASCO) and some community volunteers from the two (2) beneficiary communities.
Speaking at the ceremony, the District Chief Executive (DCE), Hon. Victoria Dzeklo disclosed that two (2) additional schools would also benefit from the programme in the coming days, emphasizing that the move was not only to channel such independence day limited resources into renovating and giving facelift to schools across the district, but also create the conducive learning and joyful environment for the learners to strive in their studies.
Hon. Dzeklo used the occasion to appeal to individuals, corporate bodies and organizations to come to the aid of the district, stressing that government alone cannot do it all. The DCE advised the pupils to be patriotic and hardworking while urging the teachers to also be innovative always in order to make the right and needed impact on their learners wherever they find themselves.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Hon. Maxwell Kwame Lukutor reminded the pupils that education is not only about academic pursuits but also cultivating virtues that can positively impact society. He urged the learners as future leaders to be honest or sincere, kind and patriotic in all their endeavours. ‘Let us strive to be individuals of empathy, resilience and integrity’, Hon. Lukutor stressed.
The MP used the occasion to commend the district, the students and all the sports officials including the GES for winning this year’s Under-13 Milo championship trophy for the third consecutive time, adding that the sky should be the limit.
Hon. Lukutor reaffirmed his commitment not only to diligently serving his constituents but also addressing the numerous challenges facing the constituency including the Kpotame water crisis issue amongst others which he assured would be tackled in due course.
The District Director of Education, Mrs. Celestine Sewoenam Korsi Esi Agordo noted that the country’s educational system, which is the bedrock of human development, has gone through several challenges over the years. According to her, the country must build property through quality education, adding that such a move must start from the basic school level particularly at the early childhood development stage which must be strong.
She regretted that schools in the hinterland in the district especially the lower primary schools are weak due to lack of food. The Director used the occasion to appeal to government to increase the school feeding programme allocation for more and such children to be taken care of.
Mrs. Agordo stressed the need for all stakeholders of education in the area to see education as a shared responsibility, thanking the teachers for their continuous sacrifices for their wards.
The Chief of Hlevi Torgbe Deh Tekpe IV used the event to renew his appeal to government not only to construct a modern library facility for the Harul Haq Islamic Basic School but also provide additional classroom blocks for use by the pupils.
As part of the event, there were cultural dance, drama and dance performance by the cultural troupes of the two basic schools in addition to a poetry recital by one of the pupils of the Kpotame Presby Basic School.
