THE KROBO QUILL: PRESBYTERIAN SCHOOL REHABILITATION BEGINS

Rehabilitation works on the school begins

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Reconstruct work on the crumbling Presbyterain Junior High School classroom block at Odumase-Krobo in the Eastern Region has begun

The project, which is being sponsored by Zain Ghana is expected to be completed in two months.

Workers busy at post

Earlier in the week, the dilapidated six classroom block, a staff common room and an office was razed down to pave way for the reconstruction work.

This follows an intervention by the management of Zain Ghana after a publication of the pathetic condition of the school by the Daily Graphic.

It would be recalled that the Daily Graphic, in its May 7, 2009 edition, carried a story about the state of the school which was posing a serious threat to the lives of both teachers and pupils. The structure was reported to have killed a pupil and injured three others during a rains storm late last year.

Subsequently, the management of Zain was touched by the story and, as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility, decided to rebuild the original part of the building which was built in 1888 and to renovate the rest.

At the moment, the entire JHS block has been demolished and work is ongoing to erect in its place a six-unit classroom block, a staff room and a headmaster’s office.

The block will include a fully stocked library, furnished computer laboratory with internet connectivity as well as a place of convenience for both teachers and the physically challenged who previously had no such facility.

Explaining the rationale behind the total demolishing against the initial plan to rebuild only the original part and to renovate the adjourning classroom, Mr. Joseph Biga, Facilities Manage of Zain Ghana disclosed that their decision was informed by findings during the demolition exercise, adding that, “we thought the extension was strong enough to be renovated but discovered otherwise”.

Demolition work progresses

“It was going to be a waste of time and resources to renovate the weak part which would end up negating the work done”, he stressed adding that “the project is expected to be completed by the first week of August for inauguration”.

In an interview, the Headmaster of the school, Nene Seth Ayertey, was very appreciative of the pace of the project and progress made so far.

He expressed the hope that the project would be carried through successfully in to time to provide the conducive environment for teaching and learning “which has for a long time eluded us”.

A teacher of the school, Mrs. Rosina Asare who could not hide her happiness, also expressed her gratitude to the management of Zain for their prompt response to the call of the school.

“Not only have they saved lives but have made a life-long investment which would go a long way to benefit the children and society in general”, she emphasised.