The uncertainty hanging around the admission of fresh students into Senior High Schools (SHS) looks far from over.
Although the Ghana Education Service has directed that first year students report yesterday on October 15, classrooms and other facilities meant for them are still under construction.
In view of this, some heads of senior high schools in Accra have taken very extraordinary measures to deal with the situation.
When the Times visited some schools in Accra, the visible deficit in classrooms has taken a toll on academic work.
At the St. Thomas Aquinas SHS in Accra, although the first year students have reported, the six unit classroom block is still under construction.
The headmaster, Francis Ahiafor, indicated that the school has planned to use two weeks for orientation for the first year students to allow for the completion of the classroom project.
The headmaster stated that if the classrooms were not ready within the two week period, they would resort to dividing the students into three groups and taught only core subjects using the dining hall, the chapel and library as classrooms.
At the Presbyterian Boys Senior High School, Legon, a directive has been issued by the school authorities that until the classrooms and other facilities were ready, all first year students would be admitted as day students.
Meanwhile first year students have been scheduled to report on Monday, October 18.
From Kumasi Kwadwo B. Donkor, reports that situation was not different from what obtained elsewhere.
Although the schools complained of lack of limited space, those visited by Times assured parents that “we can manage the situation.”
At the time of the visit late in the afternoon, freshers were still reporting and were going through the admission process while the continuing students assisted in directing the new students to their allocated houses.
At the Opoku Ware SHS an all-boys school, the Headmaster, James Anokye, said the school foresaw this problem and approached the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) which accepted to build a six-unit block classroom to accommodate this year’s freshers.
“So, I can say that we don’t have classroom problem as some other schools are facing,” he said.
That aside, he said because school did not overcrowd its dormitories, provisions were made to spread the new batch across board to enable the students to have on campus accommodation.
He, however, explained that in the allocation of the limited available boarding facilities, priority was given to students coming from distant locations.
Even with that, Mr. Anokye was hopeful that it would not last for long as the government assisted project to accommodate the extra number of students would soon be completed.
At the T.I. Ahmadiyyah SHS, Mr. Yakub A. B. Abubakar, the headmaster said aside the boys who may face “a slight problem” due to the inadequacy of hostel facilities, “we have sensitised them to accommodate the new students whiles we work on the new dormitory facility being built by the government.”
He said the new dormitory should be completed within a week as the progress of work was in advanced stage.
Mr. Abubakar said the school was going strictly by the government directive and was not turning any students away.
“We told all students who gained admission into this school to report today and go through whatever programme we have for them,” he stated.
At the Kumasi Anglican SHS (KASS) although the headmaster was not available there seemed to be less crowd there as compared to other schools.
A few freshers were around with their ‘chop’ boxes as carpenters assembled mono desk probably for use by the new batch of students.
From Bolgatanga, A. A. Mboad, reports that admission into Senior High Schools in Bolgatanga started in earnest and smoothly without any reported hitches.
Schools visited by “Times” in the regional capital included the Bolga Girls, Bolgatanga SHS, Zamse Senior High Technical School, and the Bolgatanga Senior High Technical School.
At the Bolgatanga Gilrs SHS students who started arriving as early as 1 pm were received by the Headmistress, Mrs. Francisca Yizura.
She said the school was admitting 322 students this year all whom were coming from outside the region and would be provided with accommodation.
Most of the structures at the schools visited, including classrooms and hostels were at various stages of completion.
From Takoradi Marlvin – James, Dadzie repors that the opening of schools in Sekondi-Takoradi yesterday was characterized by anxiety among both school authorities and new students in the face of problems of accommodation.
When the Times visited some schools in the metropolis, there were doubts as to whether classes for the first years could start at all.
At the Saint Johns Boys SHS for instance, Reverend Brother Sylvester Quaye, the headmaster, told the Times that the assembly hall would be divided into four classrooms for the form one students.
He said, to meet the challenge, the form one students would be occupying the classrooms of the form threes’ whenever the form threes’ moved to the science laboratory for practicals.
On dormitory accommodation, he said, the school had arranged for a private hostel at Bakakyir near Sekondi where parents would be made to pay fees while the school takes responsibility for feeding.
At Fijai SHS the Assistant headmaster, Mr John Ennor said his school would not admit any female students who would apply for boarding facility.
He said the school has procured some private hostels for some male students, adding that even with that, the school would apply the “first come, first served” method to allocate rooms.
He said the school’s workshops, home economics hall and other extra science laboratories would be turned into classrooms for the form one students.
Unlike the boarding schools, the Takoradi SHS, Bompeh College and Ghana SHS all day schools, were only faced with the problem of classroom shortage. The school authorities said they were strategizing to be able to admit all new students.
From Cape Coast David Yarboi Tetteh, reports that first year students admitted to some SHS in the central region were yet to report.
Some of the schools were not yet ready to welcome the students.
For instance at the Ghana National college students were expected to report today, instead of yesterday according to the headmaster Mr. Koomson Barnes.
At Adisadel college, the Times learnt that the students would report next week to enable the school to put adequate measures in place.
Some parents were, however, seen trooping into the school to formalize admission process of their wards.
From Wa Matthew Ayoo reports that Despite the fact that first year students have began reporting to their various schools, classrooms and dormitory blocks being constructed to accommodate them are yet to be completed.
Some of the structures were at the roofing level while others have been roofed and the wall were being plastered.
At the Islamic Senior High School, the new six-classroom block had been roofed and the contractors were fixing louver frames.
Work was also feverish going on, on the two-storey dormitory block for the school.
The Headmaster, Mr. Alhassan Sulemana told the “Times” that the contractor had assured him of completing the six classroom block and handing it over for use by the end of the month.
According to Mr. Sulemana, the contractor working on the school’s dormitory block had also been urged to complete the first floor of the two-storey block to enable students occupy it while work continues on the next floor.
He said the school had made available temporary structures to accommodate all the 300 first year students who were expected to report by 5:00 pm yesterday.
At the WA Senior High Technical School work was progressing on the classroom and dormitory blocks.
The school Librarian, Osman Saaka told the “Times” that 200 students have gained admission into the school a few of whom had reported yesterday with the rest expected by Saturday and Sunday.
Although the Ghana Education Service has directed that first year students report yesterday on October 15, classrooms and other facilities meant for them are still under construction.
In view of this, some heads of senior high schools in Accra have taken very extraordinary measures to deal with the situation.
When the Times visited some schools in Accra, the visible deficit in classrooms has taken a toll on academic work.
At the St. Thomas Aquinas SHS in Accra, although the first year students have reported, the six unit classroom block is still under construction.
The headmaster, Francis Ahiafor, indicated that the school has planned to use two weeks for orientation for the first year students to allow for the completion of the classroom project.
The headmaster stated that if the classrooms were not ready within the two week period, they would resort to dividing the students into three groups and taught only core subjects using the dining hall, the chapel and library as classrooms.
At the Presbyterian Boys Senior High School, Legon, a directive has been issued by the school authorities that until the classrooms and other facilities were ready, all first year students would be admitted as day students.
Meanwhile first year students have been scheduled to report on Monday, October 18.
From Kumasi Kwadwo B. Donkor, reports that situation was not different from what obtained elsewhere.
Although the schools complained of lack of limited space, those visited by Times assured parents that “we can manage the situation.”
At the time of the visit late in the afternoon, freshers were still reporting and were going through the admission process while the continuing students assisted in directing the new students to their allocated houses.
At the Opoku Ware SHS an all-boys school, the Headmaster, James Anokye, said the school foresaw this problem and approached the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) which accepted to build a six-unit block classroom to accommodate this year’s freshers.
“So, I can say that we don’t have classroom problem as some other schools are facing,” he said.
That aside, he said because school did not overcrowd its dormitories, provisions were made to spread the new batch across board to enable the students to have on campus accommodation.
He, however, explained that in the allocation of the limited available boarding facilities, priority was given to students coming from distant locations.
Even with that, Mr. Anokye was hopeful that it would not last for long as the government assisted project to accommodate the extra number of students would soon be completed.
At the T.I. Ahmadiyyah SHS, Mr. Yakub A. B. Abubakar, the headmaster said aside the boys who may face “a slight problem” due to the inadequacy of hostel facilities, “we have sensitised them to accommodate the new students whiles we work on the new dormitory facility being built by the government.”
He said the new dormitory should be completed within a week as the progress of work was in advanced stage.
Mr. Abubakar said the school was going strictly by the government directive and was not turning any students away.
“We told all students who gained admission into this school to report today and go through whatever programme we have for them,” he stated.
At the Kumasi Anglican SHS (KASS) although the headmaster was not available there seemed to be less crowd there as compared to other schools.
A few freshers were around with their ‘chop’ boxes as carpenters assembled mono desk probably for use by the new batch of students.
From Bolgatanga, A. A. Mboad, reports that admission into Senior High Schools in Bolgatanga started in earnest and smoothly without any reported hitches.
Schools visited by “Times” in the regional capital included the Bolga Girls, Bolgatanga SHS, Zamse Senior High Technical School, and the Bolgatanga Senior High Technical School.
At the Bolgatanga Gilrs SHS students who started arriving as early as 1 pm were received by the Headmistress, Mrs. Francisca Yizura.
She said the school was admitting 322 students this year all whom were coming from outside the region and would be provided with accommodation.
Most of the structures at the schools visited, including classrooms and hostels were at various stages of completion.
From Takoradi Marlvin – James, Dadzie repors that the opening of schools in Sekondi-Takoradi yesterday was characterized by anxiety among both school authorities and new students in the face of problems of accommodation.
When the Times visited some schools in the metropolis, there were doubts as to whether classes for the first years could start at all.
At the Saint Johns Boys SHS for instance, Reverend Brother Sylvester Quaye, the headmaster, told the Times that the assembly hall would be divided into four classrooms for the form one students.
He said, to meet the challenge, the form one students would be occupying the classrooms of the form threes’ whenever the form threes’ moved to the science laboratory for practicals.
On dormitory accommodation, he said, the school had arranged for a private hostel at Bakakyir near Sekondi where parents would be made to pay fees while the school takes responsibility for feeding.
At Fijai SHS the Assistant headmaster, Mr John Ennor said his school would not admit any female students who would apply for boarding facility.
He said the school has procured some private hostels for some male students, adding that even with that, the school would apply the “first come, first served” method to allocate rooms.
He said the school’s workshops, home economics hall and other extra science laboratories would be turned into classrooms for the form one students.
Unlike the boarding schools, the Takoradi SHS, Bompeh College and Ghana SHS all day schools, were only faced with the problem of classroom shortage. The school authorities said they were strategizing to be able to admit all new students.
From Cape Coast David Yarboi Tetteh, reports that first year students admitted to some SHS in the central region were yet to report.
Some of the schools were not yet ready to welcome the students.
For instance at the Ghana National college students were expected to report today, instead of yesterday according to the headmaster Mr. Koomson Barnes.
At Adisadel college, the Times learnt that the students would report next week to enable the school to put adequate measures in place.
Some parents were, however, seen trooping into the school to formalize admission process of their wards.
From Wa Matthew Ayoo reports that Despite the fact that first year students have began reporting to their various schools, classrooms and dormitory blocks being constructed to accommodate them are yet to be completed.
Some of the structures were at the roofing level while others have been roofed and the wall were being plastered.
At the Islamic Senior High School, the new six-classroom block had been roofed and the contractors were fixing louver frames.
Work was also feverish going on, on the two-storey dormitory block for the school.
The Headmaster, Mr. Alhassan Sulemana told the “Times” that the contractor had assured him of completing the six classroom block and handing it over for use by the end of the month.
According to Mr. Sulemana, the contractor working on the school’s dormitory block had also been urged to complete the first floor of the two-storey block to enable students occupy it while work continues on the next floor.
He said the school had made available temporary structures to accommodate all the 300 first year students who were expected to report by 5:00 pm yesterday.
At the WA Senior High Technical School work was progressing on the classroom and dormitory blocks.
The school Librarian, Osman Saaka told the “Times” that 200 students have gained admission into the school a few of whom had reported yesterday with the rest expected by Saturday and Sunday.
