Mr Godwin Blewuada, the Headteacher of Preventive Basic School, Aflao, has appealed for an additional six-unit classroom block to enhance teaching and learning.
He said the about 14 classrooms meant for use by the kindergarten (KG) to Junior High School (JHS) pupils numbering 1,521 was inadequate and affected effective teaching and learning in the school.
Mr Blewuada who made this known to the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the 60th anniversary celebration of the school, noted that adding a new classroom block to existing ones would help deal with the problem of congestion in the school.
“A major challenge we have is inadequate classrooms. There are 14 classrooms for the entire school with a pupil population of 1,521 making us pack about 90-95 pupils in each class, Mr Blewuada said.
He added: “Most of the classes are combined. From KG to primary 4, “A” and “B” classes are merged. Primary 5 and 6 and the JHS classes, however, have separate “A” and “B” classes.”
The headteacher said the management of the school hoped to use proceeds from the anniversary celebration to among others, carry out renovation works.
The planned renovation works include screeding and repairing broken windows.
According to the headteacher, “besides the inadequacy, some classrooms are not in the best of forms” and that there were makeshift structures and pavilions.”
Mr Blewuada said there were talks with Diamond Cement Ghana Limited, Aflao to support the school with bags of cement towards the construction of a science resource centre and as well.
Aside, there is a commitment from the Council of Ewe Associations of North America to provide computers, printers, and photocopiers for the project to give foundational training in ICT to the pupils.
Held on the theme: “Rebuilding Preventive Basic School to Regain Its Lost Glory for Quality Education,” the occasion, chaired by the former Head teacher of the school, Mr Felix Sevor saw spectacular performances from the Preventive Cadet Corps.
There were other activities including choreography, cultural performance, and poetry recitals in English and French to thrill attendants at the celebration.
Mr Danny Laud, an old boy of the school, said though a lot has changed since its establishment, the school had remained steadfast in its commitment to provide the best education and learning experience for its pupils and to “nurture honourable leaders grounded in character and values.”
He said the theme for the celebration was indicative of, “the decline in the privileges we enjoyed here in our days” and called for all key stakeholders to support the school.
“A reason, we should be grateful to the organisers and the school for recognising the fact that there is some work to be done. This certainly is a bold step.
A step, which requires all of us to ask ourselves what it is we can do to contribute, in any which way, however small, to this clarion call of rebranding, adding values, and enhancing the fortunes of our school.
“Sixty years is an anniversary to be celebrated, particularly for us, who are an integral part of this milestone, let us in the spirit of unity go back and fetch all that Preventive Basic School had as its vision sixty years ago”, Mr Laud added.
Preventive Basic School, Aflao, which was founded in 1961 with 27 pupils with Mr Daniel Tettevi as its first head teacher and which was later taken over by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority had produced prominent individuals and had some national awards to its credit.
