The Christ Church Anglican Basic School in Cape Coast, Ghana, faces a dire situation as its students and staff endure unsafe and inadequate learning conditions within a dilapidated structure. The current school building, deemed a “death trap” by the Ghana National Fire Service eight years prior, exhibits cracked walls and pillars, posing a constant threat to the safety of its occupants. This precarious environment is further exacerbated during the rainy season, as persistent flooding inundates classrooms on the ground floor, disrupting lessons and creating an unsanitary environment. The school’s leadership has made appeals for intervention to address these pressing safety concerns and provide a conducive learning environment for their students.
In an effort to remedy the situation, a new 11-unit classroom block project was initiated in 2020, funded by Ghana Gas and situated on land secured from the adjacent Adisadel College. However, progress on this vital project has stalled at the roofing stage due to disagreements between the contractor and financiers regarding the quality of work. The unfinished structure has since become a site for open defecation by community members, compounding the school’s challenges. The stalled construction leaves the students and staff in the same perilous building, highlighting the urgent need for a resolution and the completion of the new facility.
The school’s 78th anniversary celebration, themed “Restoration Time,” served as a platform to highlight the school’s plight and appeal for assistance. Mr. Brandford Bright Mills, the headteacher, underscored the disruption caused by the recurring flooding, forcing students from ground floor classrooms to cram into upper-level spaces, impacting learning and hindering the school’s ability to attract new students. He called upon the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly to mediate the dispute between the contractor and Ghana Gas to facilitate the project’s resumption and completion. Beyond the infrastructural challenges, Mr. Mills also emphasized the pressing need for adequate furniture and computers, noting the negative impact of shared seating on student concentration and academic performance.
Professor George Kwaku Oduro, Technical Advisor to the Minister of Education, affirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening basic education through its “Bright Beginnings” policy, recognizing the alignment of the school’s requests with this national agenda. He pledged to relay the school’s concerns to the Minister of Education, advocating for swift action. Professor Oduro also emphasized the importance of stakeholder collaboration, urging alumni to support their alma mater and parents to actively engage in their children’s education, supplementing governmental efforts. This call for collective responsibility underscores the need for a concerted approach to address the school’s multifaceted challenges.
The Right Reverend Dr. Victor Reginald Atta Baffoe, Anglican Bishop of Cape Coast, echoed the urgency of the situation, urging stakeholders to contribute to the project’s completion and the provision of essential resources like furniture and computers. Drawing a parallel to successful interventions at other schools, he expressed optimism that the new block could be operational by year’s end. This targeted timeline underscores the immediate need for action and the hope for a swift resolution to improve the school’s learning environment. The Bishop’s appeal emphasizes the potential for community-driven solutions and the importance of collective investment in education.
The challenges faced by Christ Church Anglican Basic School have far-reaching consequences, impacting teacher recruitment and student retention. Madam Phyllis Asante-Krobea, the Cape Coast Metro Director of Education, highlighted the difficulty in attracting teachers to the school and the increasing number of parents withdrawing their children due to the substandard conditions. Her commitment to preventing the school’s decline further emphasizes the urgency of the situation and the need for collaborative efforts to ensure its continued operation. The recognition of these broader impacts underscores the importance of addressing the school’s challenges to safeguard the future of education in the community.
