The Korley Gonno Roman Catholic Boys School in Accra is facing dire challenges regarding the safety of its students due to the collapse of the school's walls, which have turned into a death trap.

The pupils now have to contend with studying amidst distractions posed by squatters and animals that stray into the compound to graze.

Speaking to JoyNews, one of the overseers of the school, Father Filton, expressed concern that the school, which is over 90 years old, is no longer a safe place for students and teachers alike.

According to him, despite seeing improvements in academic performance over the years and being envied by many schools within the community, the school now faces numerous structural challenges.

Father Filton explained that despite having trained many elite Ghanaians, the school cannot boast of a suitable fence wall. 

A student of the school, George emphasised that the primary problem faced by the school is the lack of protection and security.

He mentioned that the collapsed walls allow students to come and go freely, leading to disruptive activities such as students sleeping on the premises and engaging in inappropriate behaviour.

“Our walls have collapsed and this gives way for students to come in and out of the school. Some sleep at the school, some also go to the extent of having sex in the school, which is disturbing our education.

“Some of my companions also run out of school, come to school late and do different things in the school,” he added.

Linda, a teacher at the school, reiterated that security is the main challenge, pointing out the school's broken walls provide easy access for cattle to enter.

She remarked “We have so many outlets in the school. When you go behind the KG block, you can see that we have a wall that is broken and we share boundaries with a cattle-rearing ranch over there and because the wall is broken, the cattle easily get access to the school. 

“We have mad people in their school and places that are meant to burn rubbish, people have taken it as their source of a shelter and they are sleeping in it.”

A resident of the community also expressed concerns about the lack of control over who enters the school premises, leading to a variety of individuals, including those with mental health issues taking advantage of the damaged walls and fences.

“People also sleep here because the walls and the fence all over here is damaged, and there's no security man to tell anybody that go or come. So they are doing whatever they like over here,” he said. 

On the back of this, Father Filton emphasised that securing the walls and constructing a gate would greatly improve the situation at the school.

He appealed to the general public, philanthropists, and individuals who believe in quality education to assist the school in addressing these challenges and building a better future for Ghana's next generation.