The abandoned Ahodwo R/C Basic School
The future of hundreds of children in Ahodwo, a community within the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti Region, hangs in the balance as the only public basic school in the area continues to decay.
The Ahodwo R/C Basic School has become a shadow of itself, with classrooms marked by cracked walls, damaged doors and windows, and leaking roofs. The school also lacks toilet facilities, forcing pupils and teachers to endure unhygienic conditions that undermine effective teaching and learning.
Worse still, the compound has become a safe haven for suspected drug users. Residents allege that the school grounds are often used by groups of “wee smokers,” exposing children to unsafe and unhealthy behaviour.
“This situation is unacceptable,” lamented Mr. Tuffour Hayford, an executive member of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). Speaking in an interview, he explained that the long-neglected state of the infrastructure has created an environment where pupils struggle to focus on their studies. “How can a child concentrate in class when there are no doors, no windows, and strangers loitering around smoking weed?” he questioned.
He further disclosed that a new classroom block that was started several years ago has been left uncompleted, worsening the plight of the school.
The PTA Chairman, Mr. Kwaku Boah, also expressed grave concern about the absence of a fence wall around the compound. According to him, this has allowed unauthorised persons to freely enter the premises, compromising the safety of pupils and teachers.
Community members have since issued a passionate appeal to the government, particularly the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipal Assembly and the Ghana Education Service (GES), to step in with urgent measures. They are calling for the completion of the abandoned classroom block, the construction of a fence wall, and the provision of proper sanitation facilities to restore dignity to the school.
Parents fear that if the neglect persists, the school could collapse entirely, denying children in Ahodwo and surrounding communities access to quality education.
For now, the Ahodwo R/C Basic School stands as a symbol of abandonment, with pupils left to study in fear and discomfort.
FROM David Afum, Ahodwo