The Sekyere Afram Plains District, which has no senior high schools, initially enthusiastically welcomed the news of a community day senior high school project.
The facility, an E-block structure completed in 2017, was expected to provide local students with much-needed educational opportunities.
However, despite being fully furnished, the school has remained unused for over five years due to concerns about the distance for a day school and subsequent funding issues.
In 2020, the Ministry of Education awarded a contract to construct a dormitory to complement the E-block project.
However, work on the dormitory, which reached only 60 percent completion, was halted due to financial constraints. Both the E-block and the partially built dormitory have since been left neglected and surrounded by overgrowth.
For many junior high school graduates in the district, the dream of continuing their education remains uncertain.
“I completed JHS this year and hoped to continue my education at this new school. But nothing seems to be happening to get it operational. We appeal to the government to open the facility so we don’t have to travel far for our education,” said 15-year-old Adjei Emmanuel.
Janet Boahemaa, a JHS 3 student, echoed similar concerns.
“The school was completed long ago but is still not in use. Once operational, it would allow us in the villages around here to continue our education without the stress of travelling.”
The school’s neglected state is evident, with deteriorating ceilings, cracking walls, and reports of disappearing furniture.
Michael Attah, a unit committee member from Drobonso, expressed frustration: “We cleaned the entire building last year in anticipation of its opening, but nothing happened.
We are concerned and hope to see it used soon so our children won’t have to travel to Kumawu or Kumasi for senior high education.”
Prince Ponyo, another resident, voiced disappointment over repeated promises. “Every year, we hear promises about operationalizing the school, but it never materializes.
Even though I didn’t have the chance to further my education, seeing this school functional would enable me to support my younger siblings in achieving what I couldn’t.”
District Chief Executive Sulemana Hamidu has assured residents that the Minister of Education has promised the E-block will be operational by September 2024.
He noted that the only remaining task is extending electricity to the area currently being addressed.
Residents are anxiously awaiting the facility’s activation, which they believe will not only bring senior high education closer but also stimulate development in the region.
