Pupils and teachers of Ampeyoo-Krofrom D/A Junior High School, near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, arrived in school Thursday morning to the shocking sight of their burnt classroom block.
The fire, which started at about 2 a.m. ravaged five classrooms and offices, leaving furniture, computers, books and other school materials completely destroyed.
“We are traumatised and have to stop everything,” the headmistress, Joyce Osei Manu lamented.
“We have lost a lot. All the furniture is burnt; everything. Every school record, every textbook is burnt including laptops so that is what we are facing,” the troubled headmistress added.
The school authorities said the incident will negatively affect academic work, especially, as final year pupils prepare for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The griefed pupils were spotted loitering as their teachers sat in groups to discuss the destruction at the time Nhyira FM news crew arrived at the scene.
A few curious ones tried to salvage some burnt books from the debris.
The headmistress has been in school since she received a call alerting her about the fire.
“On Monday we are to write mock exams and this is the situation we find ourselves in. The students are all traumatised,” she added.
Suspected arson?
The cause of the fire is yet to be investigated.
Assemblyman for the area, Bismark Addai Dwomoh, however, suspects arson and has lodged a complaint with the police.
“When the Fire Service came, though they have not released any report for us to know what really caused the fire outbreak…we can really say that it was someone who did that,” he claimed.
Meanwhile, officials of Atwima Kwanwoma District Assembly are asking the school to share facilities with nearby Ampabame JHS, pending renovation of the burnt structure.
Ghana I Nhyira FM I Ohemeng Tawiah I ohemengtawiah@gmail.com