Category: Education

The people of Sokode Gbogame in the Ho Central Municipality of the Volta Region have made an urgent appeal to the government and relevant stakeholders to address critical infrastructure deficits affecting their community, particularly in education and local development.

Mankrado of the Sokode Traditional Area, Togbe Wusu Krakani III, expressed deep concern over the dire state of social amenities in the area.

In an exclusive interview with Adom News, he lamented the poor condition of the Sokode Gbogame M/A (B) JHS, describing it as a death trap that endangers both students and teachers.

The school lacks proper classrooms to accommodate the growing student population, and its deteriorating structure poses significant risks.

Togbe Wusu Krakani III also called for the completion of the abandoned market in the community, suggesting that it could be repurposed to support educational infrastructure or other community development projects.

He urged the Ho Central Municipal Assembly and the government to prioritize the facility’s completion for the benefit of the people.

Another major concern raised by the traditional leader is the state of the modern municipal abattoir located within the Sokode Traditional Area.

He noted that the facility, which has the potential to boost the local economy, remains unused and is gradually deteriorating.

He appealed to the government and the municipal authorities to operationalize the abattoir, emphasizing that a functional facility would create jobs, enhance agribusiness, and contribute to food security in the region.

Adding his voice to the call for intervention, the Assistant Headmaster of Sokode Gbogame M/A (B) JHS, Mr. Fessi Emil, highlighted numerous challenges facing the school.

He revealed that since 2007, the school has struggled with inadequate furniture, faulty ceiling fans that make learning conditions unbearable due to excessive heat, and structurally weak classroom blocks that pose a danger to both students and staff.

During a visit to the school, Adom News observed that the building’s zinc roofing was rusting, and the walls and floors were visibly cracked.

In the absence of functioning fans, students were seen using their exercise books to fan themselves while lessons were ongoing.

Students who spoke with Adom News also joined the appeal, calling on the government, philanthropists, NGOs, and old students to support the school’s renovation and provide essential resources to enhance learning conditions.

The residents of Sokode Gbogame remain hopeful that their voices will be heard, and that urgent action will be taken to address these pressing issues.

Former Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Adwoa Safo, has alleged widespread corruption and mismanagement within Ghana’s school feeding programme, which provides meals to students in public schools.

Speaking on Wontumi TV on Wednesday, March 19, the former Dome/Kwabenya Member of Parliament urged the government of President John Dramani Mahama to prioritise reforms in the sector, warning that unchecked corruption is draining resources and undermining the programme’s effectiveness.

Recounting her tenure, Adwoa Safo revealed that former President Nana Akufo-Addo had instructed her to audit the school feeding programme before releasing funds for her ministry.

However, she claimed that after submitting the audit report to the Cabinet, the President distanced himself from the directive due to pressure from individuals within the government.

“The rot and the corruption that is going on at the school feeding sector is serious. This government should pay attention to that sector. Former President John Agyekum Kufuor had a great vision around the school feeding programme, but the way it has been twisted is a serious matter,” she said.

She further detailed challenges she faced in her attempt to investigate financial mismanagement in the programme.

“When I was appointed as the Gender Minister, President Akufo-Addo asked me to conduct an audit of the school feeding programme before I would be granted revenue to operate. What was all the money allocated to the programme being used for? I would call this woman—a key official in the programme—once, twice, even three times, and she wouldn’t respond. Instead, she would send a message saying she wasn’t happy with how I was handling her because she had connections in the government and at higher authorities,” she alleged.

Adwoa Safo claimed that the majority of the financial irregularities were traced to the Central Region. She also accused members of the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration of trying to cover up the corruption, adding that her audit report was dismissed by the President.

“The majority of the rot was coming from the Central Region. The backlash that followed my submission of the audit report made President Akufo-Addo deny that he had asked me to conduct it. He told me to set it aside, and that’s where my problems began,” she stated.

Her revelations have reignited calls for transparency and accountability in the administration of the school feeding programme, which has faced persistent scrutiny over financial mismanagement and operational inefficiencies.

Parents of students affected by the fire incident at Labone Senior High School have arrived at the school to pick up their wards.

The incident, which occurred on Sunday afternoon, affected three girls’ dormitories and destroyed the belongings of about 100 students.

Some affected students were seen picking through scattered belongings, assessing their losses.

Meanwhile, fire officers are on-site, conducting investigations into the cause of the blaze.

A final-year student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Daniel Tuffour, has been remanded by the court for the second time over his alleged involvement in the death of his girlfriend, Joana Deladem Yabani.

Yabani’s lifeless body was discovered on the KNUST campus on February 27, 2025. CCTV footage reportedly captured a man, believed to be Tuffour, strangling her to death following an altercation.

Tuffour was arrested hours after the incident and first appeared in court, where he was remanded.

At his second court appearance, the prosecutor informed the court that the case docket had been forwarded to the Attorney General’s office for advice.

The prosecution, therefore, requested that the suspect remain in custody, a request the court granted.

The case has been adjourned to April 1, 2025, by which time the Attorney General’s advice is expected to be ready.

The newly appointed National Coordinator for the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), Hajia Fati Forgor has taken office with a promise to build on the gains made by her predecessor, Hajia Safia Mohammed.

Hajia Forgor will be working with her two deputy national coordinators, Madam Felicia Mekpoi Bortey and Madam Faustina Lamptey, both Regional Women Organisers for the Greater Accra and Central Regions, respectively.

They were warmly received on Monday, March 10, 2025, by Hajia Safia Mohammed and all the management and staff of the GSFP national secretariat.

A powerful rainstorm that lasted for 30 minutes on Wednesday, March 12, wreaked havoc at the Northern School of Business (NOBISCO) in Tamale, severely damaging the girls’ dormitory and leaving over 1,000 students displaced.

The storm, which was accompanied by strong winds and minimal rainfall, ripped off parts of the dormitory roof, leaving students exposed to the elements. Many lost their personal belongings to the rain, worsening the already dire situation. With the dormitories already struggling with overcrowding, the destruction has forced students to relocate to unaffected rooms, further worsening congestion. Channel One TV understand that students were left with no choice but to sleep in the dormitory corridors and even in open spaces on the compound. Several affected students, speaking to Channel One TV, described the terrifying moment the storm struck, saying they had little time to salvage their belongings.

“The rain started around 4:40 pm, and it was more of windstorm and less rain, so we heard our roof blew off and some parts of the ceiling collapsed and our dormitories got flooded,” Mohammed Adisah Mantenso, Assistant Girls’ Prefect, shared in an interview. Another student, Alhassan Rabiatu Badaria, recounts the incident, disclosing that their books, uniforms and belongings were destroyed by the rain, with some of them having to go to class wearing improper clothing. “Our books are all wet and our uniforms blown away, so today some of us are not able to copy notes in class”

The headmaster of NOBISCO, Mr. Alhassan Issah Dokurugu, revealed that the school is managing the situation temporarily while waiting for a lasting solution. “We have moved the boys from one of the dormitories to join their males at the other side, while we move the affected girls to their dormitory temporarily,” he said. He further likened the current congestion at the school to an “ant-hill,” stating that every available space in the dormitories and classrooms is occupied due to the high student population and inadequate infrastructure.

He is urgently appealing to government agencies, philanthropists, and organizations to intervene and help restore the damaged dormitory.

Beyond the dormitories, the school is also grappling with congestion problems in the classrooms. Channel One TV visited one of the packed classrooms and spoke to students about their struggles in coping with the situation. Abdallah Ibtisan Namzooya, who was seen using a single-occupant table with another student, noted the difficulties in dealing with the situation.

“She writes with her right hand, and I write with my left, and because the table is small, we are always at each other’s throats,” she tells channel one news.

With the increasing student population at NOBISCO and limited infrastructure, school authorities are calling on the government, the Ministry of Education, NGOs, and well-meaning individuals to come to their aid.

The 1975 year group of Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School, Legon (Ɔdadeɛ), has officially launched its 50th anniversary celebration.

The year-long activities, set to run from February to November, include a health walk and screening, a family fun day with games, an anniversary thanksgiving service, and the launch of an endowment fund to support their alma mater.

As part of the celebration, the group will embark on a pilgrimage to Krobo Odumase, the school’s former location, plant Baobab trees on the Legon campus, and visit ailing colleagues.

The highlight of the anniversary will feature a Health Walk and Screening on Friday, October 31, followed by a Family Fun Day with games on Saturday, November 1. The festivities will conclude with a Thanksgiving Service and the launch of the Endowment Fund on Sunday, November 2.

Group President Alex Yayra Fiagome emphasized the historical significance of their cohort, noting they were the third batch of students to be admitted to the Legon campus after the school relocated from Odumase-Krobo in 1968.

Out of the 155 students who graduated in 1975, 94 are confirmed to be alive, 29 have passed on, and 22 remain untraceable.

Describing their experience at Presec, Mr. Fiagome fondly recalled the campus as “new and pristine, with well-manicured lawns and paved walkways that created a welcoming and calming effect.” He added that beyond the aesthetics, students were molded by the rigorous Presbyterian discipline instilled in them.

Encouraging his colleagues to actively participate in the anniversary celebrations, Mr. Fiagome stressed the importance of rekindling bonds and cherishing shared memories.

“Our twilight years call for stronger bonds and fellowship. Let the memories and smiles shared during this anniversary year remain with us for as long as we live,” he said.

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is opposing the appointment of former Koforidua Technical University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Smile Gavua Dzisi, as Deputy Director-General for Management Services at the Ghana Education Service.

NAGRAT argues that despite her credentials, she is not suited for the role.

Speaking to Citi News, NAGRAT’s National President, Angel Carbonu, called on the government to reverse the decision

“The person who was removed from that position was a professional teacher who rose to the rank of a regional director and was appointed as director of management services. The Ghana Education Service is not an extension of a political office.

“It is a professional institution. It is within the Public Services and we will not tolerate the appointment of somebody who is not a practitioner within the service space.

“We are calling on the government to withdraw the appointment immediately. She is a professor. She operates very well in the university or the technical universities, but certainly not in the Ghana Education Service.”

The Municipal Director of Education for Ablekuma North, Ebenezer Perry Ofori, says authorities are still awaiting a report from the police on the cause of the fire that damaged the Kwashieman Cluster of Schools.

The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Tuesday, December 17, 2024, destroyed key facilities, including the school’s library, science laboratory, and examination centre. Ballot boxes for the Ablekuma North Parliamentary election were also being stored at the school at the time of the incident.

Speaking to Citi News, Mr. Ofori assured that despite some congestion, academic activities had resumed.

“We are okay; all students have been accommodated. However, due to the loss of some classrooms, there is a bit of congestion. But it’s still better than before, so we are managing for now,” he said.

He added that authorities had taken steps to obtain the fire report.

“We called a meeting, and the police advised the Municipal Assembly to write formally to the police and fire service for the report. As of now, the report is not ready, which means no action can be taken on the burnt block. We are still waiting for it to determine the next steps but teaching and learning are ongoing.”