Watch the Dilapidated State of Kojobone D/A Primary School Buildings: School Closes during Rains

The dilapidated state of buildings at the Kojobone D/A Primary School is having a negative impact on both the lives and academics of pupils. 

Located within the Kpandai District in the Northern Region of Ghana, Kojobone has served as a center of academics for many lower and upper primary school goers. The school, located in a farming and fishing community, can boast of many alumni who are making it in life, especially in education.  

However, despite its significance in the district by serving countless small communities within the area and boasting of a high enrollment number, buildings in the school are in their sorry state. For instance, the main block, which was built many years ago, is currently unsafe and inconducive for academic purposes. Part of it has been removed by rainstorm a year ago, and has since remained so.

 Apart from the main block which is a 3-unit classroom block, there is only a second 3-unit classroom block which is woefully inadequate to accommodate the enrollment number of the school. Teachers are compelled to use a pavilion which is also not safe and conducive to support any life or academic activities. 

While putting this article together, i visited the school to interact with the Headteacher on the steps take so far to get the authorities to renovate the building. He revealed that invitations were made to both the MP and the DCE, representatives of whom came to examine and building and took pictures but never came again. 

He also revealed that the School Management Committee (SMC) and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) both sent representatives to the DCE to solicit for support to renovate the building but their efforts have been futile. 

However, further interactions with the Assembly Member for the area revealed that the Member of Parliament, Hon. Daniel Nsala Wakpal promised to help the community after his outfit and the  Chief appealed to him for support. He promised to support them with roofing sheets for the renovation. True to his words, on 28th August, 2022, the roofing sheets were delivered to the Assembly Member representing the community, by the MP through the former Deputy Constituency Organizer, Papa Kwaku Philip (Nana).  

When I contacted the former Deputy Organizer who is currently the Constituency Youth Organizer, he admitted that initially, the MP promised to help with the roofing sheets, however after fulfilling it, the Chief further appealed to him to help them with the provision of wood for the project, which he agreed to help but was still working on the funding for the purchase of wood. 

A spokesman for the chief confirmed that indeed no feedback was received when they requested for help from the District Assembly through the DCE. They subsequently called on the MP who listened and donated roofing sheets and further promised to help with the wood but has since not done so.  

While the people continue to wait for the renovation of the building, school children continue to suffer since the school has to close whenever it is about to rain due to the safety issues involved as a result of the nature of the building. 

When I interacted with a teacher who requested to stay anonymous, he revealed that a week ago during exam, a pupil who was almost done with his work lost his paper as it fell into the pool of water in the the class due to the leak in the roofing. He had to be provided with a fresh paper to start work. This experience is contrary to the provision of the Constitution which guarantees access to quality education for everyone.  

By this publication, the Chief of Kojobone, the Assemblyman, the Headteacher, the SMC and PTA, Pupils of Kojobone D/A Primary School, and the entire community are appealing to all and sundry to come to their aid. The school does not only need renovation of the dilapidated building, but also the construction of additional blocks to make up for the limited accommodation in the long term. 

We also call on the MP to expedite any processes regarding funding for the renovation to be done as early as possible in order to make life and academic experience in the school safe and encouraging. 

Help us by sharing this blog till it gets to the authorities responsible for solving such problems.

Thank you.