The handing over of a 3-unit classroom block with ancillary facilities to the Baptist Primary School in the Bolgatanga Municipality will go beyond just providing a decent structure for learning.
The newly built structure signifies the end of the era of colonial structures built as schools if the assembly would stick to the plan of the structure built for Baptist Primary School in subsequent projects.
Prior to this project, many school blocks built will come with only some small space for the head teacher of the school with another cubicle made available as a store room, leaving teachers to sit under trees, and such schools come without a computer lab or a Library.
This has often not helped in the holistic training of children in the municipality and the region.
But on Tuesday, August 8, 2022, the assembly in what could be described as a departure from these colonial-styled structures, handed over a 3-unit classroom block which came with office space for the head teacher, store, staff common room, ICT lab, Library, and a 4-seater KVIP toilet and urinal at to authorities at the Baptist Primary School in Tindonsobligo.
Apart from its unique nature, the project was delivered ahead of schedule, unusual for government agency-funded projects which sometimes would delay for years and with many left abandoned. The stipulated time for the project was six months after the site was handed over to the contractor on 22nd February 2022.
The contractor who was expected to complete work in September moved to commence work on 10th March and completed the project on 21st July 2022.
The success was largely so because of a dedicated and reliable source of funding which is the District Assemblies Performance, Assessment Tool, DPAT, and cost 375, 000 cedis.
Speaking at the handing-over event, the Municipal Chief Executive for Bolgatanga, Rex Asanga noted that the assembly has prioritized education and will continue to make strides in areas such as the provision of classroom infrastructure and furniture.
He, however, admitted that the handed-over facility is a drop in the ocean since there exist several challenges as he appeals to benevolent bodies and organizations to come to the aid of the assembly.
“As an assembly, we have prioritized education and health. They are our number one priority and any resource we get, will go into education but this looks like just a drop in the ocean because the number of schools involved is huge and the problems that bedevil our educational sector are enormous.
We will not renege on our responsibility to continue to provide the necessary assistance for our young ones to also have the opportunity to get an education.
I will use this opportunity to appeal to corporate bodies and organizations to come to the aid of the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly, especially in the area of education. Furniture is a big problem. Even where there are classrooms, there are no furniture and even some schools don’t even have the classrooms,” he appealed.
The Municipal Director of Education, Anne Estella Kye-eebo, expressed delight over the construction of the facility adding the learners of the school had it tough with space and had the lower primary located far from the main school.
“The children had it difficult getting to school and when they get to school, they have no place to sit and I am glad to be part of this handing over event.
I will urge the community to maintain this block. There are communities where people defecate inside the classrooms. So please, the school is for you to own it, to use it appropriately for the development of your community,” she admonished community members
For the Headmistress of the Baptist Primary School, Mary Azoo, no longer having to go to two different locations to monitor due to how the school was divided into two with the lower primary at a different location is relieving.
