Students of Bolgatanga Sirigu Senior High School on Monday, May 10, stormed the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly to register their displeasure over what they described as total neglect and unfair treatment on the part of the government and the school authorities to address their existing infrastructure deficit faced by the school after numerous calls.
They said the school was lagging behind in terms of adequate school infrastructure including furniture and accommodation which are supposed to create an enabling environment for effective teaching and learning.
According to them, the school on the contrary is faced with infrastructure challenges, thereby hampering academic work.
They also expressed concern over congestion at the school with authorities resorting to the practice of combined class especially for the final year students to have tuition for their core subjects while their electives are often taking care of later.
Speaking to GBC URA Radio in Bolgatanga, they lamented that the situation was affecting the final year students who sit in the classroom without observing the social distance protocol.
The students presented their petition to the Municipal Education Director, Estella Kyeebo in the presence of the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, Joseph Amiyuure Atura.
In reaction, Madam Kyeebo said although the timing for the protest was wrong considering the situation the country finds itself, they should be rest assured that the petition will be forwarded to the Regional Director of Education for consideration.
She advised the irate students to employ other alternatives in seeking redress and not resort to protests since such actions could escalate to violent behaviours.
For his part, the Municipal Chief Executive disclosed that even though it is not within the mandate of the assembly to put up infrastructure for Senior High Schools, he as an indigene has initiated the commencement of a 3-Unit Classroom Block for the school with financial support by GETFund to ameliorate its infrastructure deficit.
Mr Amiyuure Atura again pledged to give the school a facelift and further see to its logistics and infrastructural needs. He reiterated the existence of the global pandemic of COVID 19 and discouraged the practice of massing up to protest as it is a recipe for spread of the virus.
Story filed by Isaac Asare.
