Pupils at Beatrice-Akoto D.A Basic School at Senchi in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region have no textbooks to learn despite preparing for next year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

Teachers at the school have been borrowing textbooks themselves to teach the children.

Headmistress of the school, Ophelia Ganyo, said the situation can impact negatively on the performance of the pupils.

“Since 2017, the teachers have been borrowing books. They sometimes buy too. Parents came together to buy a few English readers from the PTA dues but this has been scrapped. We are pleading with philanthropists, NGOs, etc to come to our aid”, she appealed.

According to her, the school has other needs too.

“Beyond the textbooks, we have no computer lab, learning materials for Building Design and Technology among other things”, she said.

She disclosed this to Joy News when Volta River Estate Ltd handed over a three-unit JHS block worth about GH¢450,000 to the school.

Established in the 1980s, the school has been without a Junior High School (JHS) as pupils have to further their education elsewhere after completing primary 6.

In 2017, some pupils approached school authorities to request for a JHS.

School authorities then took the necessary steps to start the JHS using the school’s canteen as their classroom.

The school then wrote to Volta River Estate Ltd for assistance.

In July 2018, Volta River Estate Ltd under its Fairtrade Premium cut sod for the construction of the three-unit JHS block with offices, store and four-seater water-closet washroom with a water tank.

Director of Agriculture at the Volta River Estates Ltd, Anthony Blay, believes the facility will help improve education in the area.

“JHS pupils learning under trees and shed can’t raise the standard of people needed to develop Ghana, so we decided to build this for them from the Fairtrade premium”, he said.

Meanwhile, Asuogyaman District Chief Executive, Samuel Agyekum lauded the company for its role in education.

According to him, the government is determined to make education affordable and accessible to children of school-going age hence the introduction of Free SHS policy.

Technical Advisor at the Transport Ministry, Paul Ansah, gave GH¢2,000 each to candidates who excelled in this year’s BECE to help their parents buy items on their prospectus.

Beatrice-Akoto D.A Basic School honoured stakeholders in education including COOP an NGO from the UK, Volta River Estate Ltd, Senchi chief, Nana Ofei Agyeman II among others.