The Aberdare State College at Abeadze Dominase in the Central Region has been closed down due to low enrolment.
The school, which has facilities to accommodate more than 800 students, was established in 2004 by the chiefs and people of Abeadze Dominase in the Mfantseman municipality but has been left at the mercy of weeds and reptiles.
The facilities rotting on the weedy campus include a 400-capacity boys’ dormitory, a girls’ dormitory of the same capacity and a 12-unit classroom block.
The predicament
The school is not government assisted and has been recording low intake for some time now, but it has now been completely shut down following the introduction of the Free Senior High School (SHS) Policy.
The few continuing students in the school have also not reported since the beginning of the term in September, with teachers also withdrawing their services.
The Omanhen of the area, Dasebre Kwebu Ewusi, who conducted the Central Regional Minister, Mr Kwamena Duncan, round the school, expressed worry that such a facility would be allowed to go waste.
Dasebre Ewusi noted that with the implementation of the Free SHS Policy, no student was ready to come to the school because it had not been absorbed as a government-assisted school for the students to benefit from the policy.
He called on the ministry to take over the school and ensure that students were placed in the school.
The Headmistress of the school, Ms Margaret Forson, said it was discouraging for all who had put in efforts to start the school for Abeadze Dominase and communities in its catchment area.
She, therefore, called on the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to help revive the school.
Mr Kwamena Duncan (middle) with some officials and chiefs of Abeadze Dominase during the tour
Kwamena Duncan
For his part, the regional minister said it was worrying that while some schools were reportedly congested with the roll-out of the Free SHS, such a facility would be made to rot.
He added that it was important to harness all resources for national development.
Mr Duncan, therefore, called on the related ministries to urgently work to resolve the situation.
He pledged that the regional coordinating council would work with all stakeholders, including traditional authorities, to bring prosperity to the people of the region.
The tour
Mr Duncan had earlier, called on the Omanhen of Animator and Nkusukum Traditional Area and later that of the Mankessim Traditional Area and assured them that the government would work to bring accelerated development to the region.
He later met with workers at the Mfantseman Municipal Assembly and urged them to work hard to improve sanitation in the municipality.