Buchanan, Grand Bassa County – The Principal of Richard G. James Public School in district number three, Grand Bassa County wants the ministry of education to renovate the school building and construct latrine to ensure the students’ safety before school reopens.
Report by Elton Wroinbee Tiah, FPA Contributor
“We are only three teachers teaching from kindergarten to grade six but I am the only teacher on government payroll, the rest of the two teachers are volunteers that can come to teach based on their willingness” – Patrick Smith, Teacher, Richard G. James Public School, Grand Bassa County
Patrick Smith said lack of teachers, pit latrine, drinking water and leakage of the building’s roof are major problems keeping students away from school, and wants the situation addressed before the reopening of schools in September this year.
He said due to insufficient classrooms they combine three classes into one in order to accommodate all the students.”
“This situation doesn’t offer well for students in the rural areas, the principal said.
“We are only three teachers teaching from kindergarten to grade six but I am the only teacher on government payroll, the rest of the two teachers are volunteers that can come to teach based on their willingness,” he said.
He said the school has engaged the Ministry of Education through the district education office on several occasions about the problems but it still remains.
“Parents might not send their children to the school this semester if the classes are not renovated because they have been stopping their children from sitting in those leaking classes,” Mr. Smith said, stressing that quick intervention in solving the problem will keep the kids in school.
Sabatoe Johnson, a farmer in the area, said his two children are attending the school but he’s unhappy with the learning environment.
“It is so sadden to see our children sitting in this leaking building and the ministry of education can’t listen to our cries because their children are attending good schools,” Johnson said.
“We as parents don’t have money to work on the school but we can clean around the building every week just because we want our children to get small education.”
Edwin Kwahpeh, county education officer of Grand Bassa, said the Ministry of Education is aware of the problem facing rural schools in the county, but it is also faced with limited resources to solve these problems.
He said textbooks, chalk, and desks have been provided to schools but there are no funds to repair leaking roofs and construct latrines.
“We have inform the Ministry of Education about the problems facing the rural schools in the county and I am sure the government will do something before school opens”, the CEO said.
Public schools in the rural districts in the county rely on unpaid volunteer teachers who only show up when they have the time.
This leaves many pupils unattended causing them to have limited lessons during school hours.
There are 188 public schools in Grand Bassa, 68 are in Buchanan and its environs while 120 are outside of the port city, mainly in rural towns but the challenges facing these schools leaves little impact on students.