Alewah Foundation has supported the Mayeem D/A primary school at Bimbagu South in the Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri district of the North East region after Daily Guide Network (DGN ) report.
The foundation supported the school with 20 pieces of furniture, 100 uniforms, books, pens, pencils, assorted drinks and biscuits, sanitary pads, school bags, clothes, and other learning materials.
They also supported the Bimbagu south health centre with 2 brand-new wheelchairs to enhance health care in the community.
It will be recalled that DGN Online reported that pupils of the Mayeem D/A primary were compelled to sit on the bare floor and blocks to learn due to the lack of furniture in the school.
The Mayeem D/A primary which was established in 1992 as a community school has not seen any renovation since it was constructed.
Pupils of Mayeem D/A primary school sitting on blocks to learn
The school block is in a dilapidated state which best is described as a death trap as well as a lack of basic materials to enhance teaching and learning.
Some of the pupils who spoke to DGN Online lamented about the situation in the school adding that they feel body pains after classes because they lie on the floor each day to learn.
The Founder of the Alewah Foundation, Madam Sadika Esi Kwenuah, said they have touched by the story of Mayeem D/A primary school when they read it on Daily Guide and that every child deserves to have quality equal education and that education is one of the foundation’s main focus reason why they were motivated to support.
She was optimistic that their effort will help gradually eradicate poverty, empower youth, advocate geared toward girls’ child education, and improves lives in deprived communities.
“Our support is basically to encourage them to keep them in school and improve the educational system in Bimbagu Traditional Area, they are the future leaders of the country and so we must do everything within our means to ensure that they get necessary support.”
The Headteacher of the Mayeem D/A Primary School, Mr. Laar Laari Jacob, thanked Alewah Foundation for their kind gesture adding that the support was timely.
“ This support especially the furniture will go a long way to enhance teaching learning because the pupils normally sit on the floor to study.”
He indicated that some pupils come to school without uniforms because their parents cannot afford them and that the uniforms donated to the school will motivate the pupils to come to school.
“ Some of them come to school without uniforms while others do not come because they do not have uniforms which has affected enrollment but I am positive that with this support it will increase our enrollment and other children will be encouraged to come to school as well.”
The Headteacher of the Mayeem D/A primary school however lamented about the collapse of the classroom blocks in the school which he says has affected teaching and learning.
Previous situation at the Mayeem D/A primary school in Bimbagu
He revealed that some pupils have dropped out of school due to the collapse of the classroom blocks.
“ We are in the raining and we cannot allow them to sit under trees so because when it starts raining we are compelled to close down the school.”
Mr.Jacob appealed to the government and other organizations to come to the aid of the school to reconstruct their collapsed classroom blocks and provide them with more furniture to enhance teaching and learning in the school.
About five communities in the area depend on the school to ensure that children get access to education in the area.
Furniture Deficit
About 10,589 pupils enrolled in various primary schools in the Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri district, 6,307 representing 59.6% lack of access to furniture, a situation that has compelled pupils to study on bare floors.
The kindergarten level in the Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri district has about 3,804 pupils without furniture out of a total enrollment of 3,993 in the district.
The Sustainable Development Goal 4 which Ghana is signed onto calls for ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all.
BY Eric Kombat, Bimbagu