The Akatsi North District Assembly has commissioned a six-unit classroom block with ancillary facilities including an office and store for use by pupils and staff of Ansar Islamic Basic School at Ave Afiadenyigba.

The already furnished Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) project has 120 dual desks for primary one-six, six tables and chairs for teachers, and eight bookshelves, 15 tables, and 90 chairs for the library to resolve infrastructure challenges to promote teaching and learning in the school.

The Headteacher, Mr Richard Ameteku was grateful for the support to the school saying “the tree that was planted and taken over by the government in the year 2013 is now a full-grown tree with so many developments taking place.”

He said the school had been struggling with classroom and furniture inadequacy for a long time and thanked the Member of Parliament (MP) and the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Akatsi North, the Muslim community, and Dr Richard Awudza, the contractor for their hard work which made the day possible.

Mr Ameteku noted that the school still needed more support from the Assembly by way of classroom block for the Kindergarten, speedy completion of work on the toilet and urinal, and stocking the library with books to further aid teaching and learning in the school.

District Chief Executive for Akatsi North, Dr Prince Sodoke Amuzu in a speech to commission the place said the classroom block was a testament to the existing collaboration between him and the MP and assured that they would continue to work together to ensure quality education delivery in the district.

He called on all stakeholders to come together and support the school to continue to serve not just Muslim children but other children stressing, “if the school is good, it’s good for us and if it’s bad, it’s bad for us.”

MP for Akatsi North, Mr Peter Nortsu-Kotoe thanked the DCE for his support for the project and asked the community not to let the investment in the school go waste.

“When I brought the project, the DCE showed interest and quickly awarded the contract for work to start and that’s what we’re seeing here today. I’ll advise you to send your children to school. Don’t keep them home and leave the classrooms empty.”

A representative from the Regional Islamic Education Unit noted that Ansar Islamic Basic School “is a public school open to children from all faiths” and warned the leadership of the school against discrimination and imposition of Islamic practices on pupils.

Also present at the commissioning were officials from the District Assembly, the District Education Directorate, elders from the Muslim community, executives of both the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress, and the immediate past DCE, Mr James Gunu.