By Benjamin Makafui Attipoe, Mafi Kumase
The Dufia of Mafi Abude in the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region, Togbe Awuku Kyerekwa Bokor III, has appealed to the government to expedite action on the completion of the stalled administration block project at the Mafi Kumase Senior High Technical School (MAKSTEC). According to the traditional ruler, the delay in completing the project is negatively affecting the smooth administration and academic activities of the school, which serves more than 2,000 students from Mafi Kumase and surrounding communities.
Togbe Awuku Kyerekwa Bokor III made the appeal in an interview with our newsteam at Mafi Kumase on the sidelines of the dedication of ninety (90) choir robes for the MAKSTEC School Choir at a colourful ceremony over the weekend.
The 2-storey Administration Block project was initiated in 2022 under the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) initiative as part of efforts to improve infrastructure at the school. The project was undertaken alongside the construction of the school’s brandnew 3-storey 6 apartment GETFund Teacher’s Quarters to house six additional teachers of the school. While the staff bungalows have been successfully completed and are currently in use, work on the administration block has not only come to a halt at the lintel level but has since been abandoned as well. The abandoned structure is gradually deteriorating due to prolonged exposure to the weather, raising concerns among school authorities and community members.
Speaking on the issue, Togbe Awuku Kyerekwa Bokor III noted that the completion of the administration block is critical to the effective management of the school. He explained that the current administration operates from a six-unit classroom block that was converted into office space due to the absence of a dedicated administrative facility.
According to him, the arrangement is not only inadequate but also deprives the school of valuable classroom space that could otherwise be used for teaching and learning. “The current structure being used as the administration block does not befit the status of a senior high technical school of this size. The school has grown significantly over the years and requires a modern administrative facility to support its operations,” the Mafi Abude Dufia stated.
The Chief expressed concern that the prolonged delay in completing the project is affecting both administrative efficiency and the overall learning environment in the school. He therefore called on the government, GETFund and other stakeholders in the education sector to prioritize the project and ensure its timely completion.
Togbe Awuku Kyerekwa Bokor III further commended the teaching and non-teaching staff of the school for their dedication and commitment despite the infrastructural challenges confronting the institution.
The Mafi Kumase Senior High Technical School (MAKSTEC) was officially established and commissioned as a community day secondary school n 24th October, 1983, with the aim of providing quality secondary and technical education to the youth within the Central Tongu District and beyond. It was later absorbed into the public educational system in 1991.
Over the years, the school has grown in enrolment and reputation, becoming one of the notable second-cycle institutions in the area. Despite its achievements, the school continues to grapple with several infrastructural deficits, including inadequate administrative facilities and other essential educational infrastructure needed to match its increasing student population.
Residents, parents and community leaders have therefore joined the appeal to government to complete the administration block to enhance academic work and improve the overall development of the institution.
