Residents of Garkuon, a farming community in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba Municipality, are raising alarm over the deteriorating state of their only basic school, which they say is endangering the lives of pupils and undermining the future of the community’s children.
The school building has been in a state of disrepair for several years. A leaking roof, weakened wooden pillars, and crumbling classrooms have turned what should be a safe learning environment into a hazardous space, especially during the rainy season.
Residents say that despite their significant contribution to Ghana’s agricultural economy, basic social amenities such as a decent school continue to elude them.
“The school is in poor condition and needs renovation. We also need teachers’ quarters. Most of the teachers posted here do not live in the community, which affects their attendance and punctuality,” one resident told Channel One News.
Another resident noted that the poor state of the building has led to a sharp decline in enrolment.
“At first, the classrooms were full of students. However, since the building became dilapidated, many parents have transferred their children to other schools. As a result, student numbers have dropped significantly,” she said.
A visit to the school by Channel One News revealed an even more worrying situation: not a single trained teacher was present. The school relies on a community volunteer to supervise and support the pupils. Cooking utensils for the School Feeding Programme were left exposed to the elements, and many of the children struggled to communicate in English.
One pupil appealed for urgent help.
“I am not happy when I come to school. Whenever it rains, we have to run home because the school buildings are not in good condition. We want the school to be renovated and fixed,” he said.
The Assembly Member for the Garkuon Electoral Area, Moses Bokuu Sen-ere, said the challenges have been brought to the attention of the relevant authorities on several occasions, but little action has been taken.
“The children are unable to stay in school whenever it is about to rain. Sometimes they arrive at school and it starts raining shortly afterwards, forcing them to remain exposed to the weather,” he lamented.
He also recounted an incident in which a pupil stepped on a sharp object on the school premises and had to be rushed to the hospital.
The situation in Garkuon mirrors a broader national challenge. The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has identified child labour as a major barrier to education, particularly in rural farming communities. According to the Ghana Statistical Service, over 1.1 million children aged five to 17 were engaged in economic activities in 2023, with more than 458,000 of them out of school.
For the people of Garkuon, the appeal is simple: communities that contribute significantly to the nation’s food production deserve equal access to quality education and basic infrastructure. They are calling on the government to intervene urgently to renovate the school and provide teachers’ accommodation to improve teaching and learning.
