The headteacher of Boankra M/A primary and JHS in the Ejisu Municipality of the Ashanti Region, Kojo Frimpong, has bemoaned the low enrolment of pupils in the school despite having all the necessary infrastructure to support teaching and learning.
The school possesses sufficient infrastructure to accommodate more than 200 pupils, yet the current total population stands at only 97.
According to the headteacher, parents tend to prioritise engaging their children in faming activities than enrolling them in school.
In an interview with Joy News, he said “Although the school has had intensive engagement with the community, it still records low enrolment”.
He explained that he’s been actively engaging with various community stakeholders, including chiefs and the school management committee.
According to him, he has been visiting information centres in the community to announce the importance of education, encouraging families to prioritise sending their children to school instead of focusing solely on faming.
He emphasised that a time may come when the subsistence farming most of the townsfolk are engaged in will not be viable, thus he has been advocating for formal education as a crucial long-term investment for the future of the community.
In an interview with Boankra Odikro, Nana Kwaku Nyamaa Ababio, he said “The children in the community display stubborn behavior, engaging in excessive gambling due to their lack of attendance in school.”
He earnestly urged parents to intervene and communicate with their children, stressing the vital importance of education.
He added that, school is essential and thus parents must ensure their children attend school because without education, their future prospects could be compromised.