The Korko Community in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region is appealing for urgent support from the government, local government actors and other philanthropists, to aid the completion of a junior high school building project initiated by the community through self-help, work on the JHS block which is at the roofing stage stalled due to lack of funds.
Speaking in an interview, the Chief of Korko, Nana Yaw Gyasi Simpirimo said the completion of the JHS project, would end the drudgery primary school graduates go through a daily round trip of six and four miles to nearby Hiakose and Ahwerewa respectively, to access junior high school education.
Also compounding the challenge is the poor nature of the roads, a situation which has led to commercial drivers to either refuse to ply them or over charge, using that as a condition to convey the passengers.
Some JHS pupils who have endured this situation said they were compelled to trek the whole distance since their parents could not afford the lorry fares.
According to them, commuting to these communities had exposed them to the vagaries of the weather, affecting their academic performance, leading to some of them dropping out of school.
Adding that, in the rainy season, they are forced to trek the muddy roads and arrived very late when classes were already in session. According to them, they were forced to sit in class with their wet clothes feeling very cold and as a result unable to concentrate.
The scenario is not better during the dry season too, as after walking the dusty roads, some of them slept in class, whiles others with minor respiratory health challenges sneeze and cough whiles classes was in session, affecting their ability to pay attention. The way back to their homes is another challenge.
“The situation is affecting our academic performance and we are adding our voices to the ‘SOS’ appeal,” one of the students speaking on condition of anonymity said. This was indicated strongly in their inability as JHS students to communicate in the English language.
Nana Simprimo who was enstooled barely four months ago with the help of community members mobilized resources to fix the challenge, but lack of resources, has stagnated the efforts.
He said the community was only asking for roofing materials and was prepared to offer self-labour in order to complete the project before the beginning of next academic year, starting this September, to enable the children to use the block.
