Pupils of Sikabiisi Primary school in the Bongo district have over the years turned their bellies into furniture. The no-furniture syndrome is said to have compelled the school children to improvise their bellies as table and chairs. The situation is said to be negatively affecting teaching and learning in the school.
When word news visited the school during lessons hours, teaching and learning with Basic one to Three pupils struggling to write on their bare bellies.
Atiah Elijah, a basic 4 pupil told word news that their school structure has no proper doors, windows, furniture and that is affecting teaching and learning in the school. “Our desks are broken down, no widows , doors and the desks situation is affecting our hand handwriting. At times, in the process of writing, our desk normally fall off and we have to fixed them back and continue.”
On that visit, Word news established that there exist food shortage relative to the school feeding program.There is no firewood to prepare the food.
Azubere Benedicta a basic three child added that the Banku that is prepared is not always well cooked and besides, the food in not enough for the over 232 pupils.
The school caterer, Mr. Johnson Anaane however claimed that other pupils outside Sikabiisi Primary school usual come to the school to eat the food. He also indicated that the 97 pesewas per child is not enough and pleaded that government should increase the amount to meet the current food stuff price in the market. He was unwilling to tell Word news why the government will be paying for 300 school children in the school and he couldn’t prepared better for the 232 children in the school.
“My cooks are telling me that the current number of children in the school are more than the initial number of children which was 300, that is why whenever they serve the food, it doesn’t reach the children, most of the Kindergarten kids do not have their names in the register, so some of the kindergarten children come to the school at the time the cooks are serving the children and that is creating a shortage. Which market in Ghana is selling food one cedis? Per the school feeding, each child is paid 97 pesewas after a 3 pesewas tax deduction, cooking oil used to be sold at Gh¢140 but it is now Gh¢280.00, keta schoolboys used to sold at ¢ 15, ¢20 cedis but it is now ¢70.00. A bag of gari was Gh¢200, now it’s Gh ¢600.00.
prices of Maize, rice and other food stuff has increased, so we are just struggling to feed the children”.
He fumed that the old number of children which is 300 does not matter in the current figure of children he current feeds and it is not the duty of word news to know how much he has been paid and that doesn’t know the current number of children in the school and that he is only preparing food for the children and as such only taking a risk. He added that if the community think the food is not always enough and a shortage exist, then they should talk to the government.
The Assembly member for the Sambologo-Sikabiisi electoral area, Mr. Joseph Akolgo Ania told word news that his electoral area is one of the most deprived electoral areas in the Bongo district and almost all the schools in his electoral area are challenged with furniture deficit, as well as electricity and portable drinking water problems. He noted that the sitting Member of Parliament for the area, Mr. Edward Abambire Bawa and the District Chief Executive are all aware of the problems.
Gaspard Ayuureneeya