Some senior high schools in Accra have indicated their readiness to accommodate first-year students on October 15, the date set by the Ghana Education Service (GES) for fresh students to report for school. The authorities of the schools say although construction works on six-unit classroom blocks are still ongoing, they will improvise till works are completed to enable them to use the facilities. They are the Labone, Accra High, St Thomas Aquinas, Accra Girls and the Achimota Senior High Schools. These were made known by the heads when the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Annah Ashietey, visited the schools to assess their level of preparedness to begin classes for fresh students on October 15, this year. He was accompanied by Mr Fats Nartey, the Chief Director of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council and the Greater Accra Regional Consultant of the Architectural Engineering Services. Limited (AESL), Mr William Sackey. A total of 33 classroom projects are being constructed tor first-year SHS students in the Greater Accra Region. Most of the classroom blocks are at various stages of completion. At the various sites, workers are seen working feverishly to ensure that the facilities are ready for the fresh students. At the Labone SHS, where 75 per cent of work has been done, workers were seen doing electrical works and fixing windows and ceilings. The site Engineer, Mr Ohene Asiedu, said work, which started about four months ago, would be completed at the end of the month. Nii Ashiety, urged the workers to work in the night and on Saturdays and Sundays as a result of the urgency of the situation. The Headmistress, Mrs Joyce Agyekum, said once the furniture was ready, classes would begin on October 15 for fresh students. At St Thomas Aquinas, where 25 per cent of work had been carried out on the six-unit classroom block, the regional minister inspected a 12-unit Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) project almost completed at the school. The facility will be used by the 391 fresh students. The Headmaster of Accra High School, Mr Isaac Ohemeng-Gyebi, told the regional minister that "we have enough facilities to accommodate the students". He said the science and the home economics laboratories would also be used to accommodate the students. At Accra Girls, the six-unite classroom project was at the foundation level. However, a 14-unit GETFund project was 8.5 per cent completed. The dormitory was at the foundation level, but the headmistress, Ms Veronica Akapame, said the school would undertake decongestion to pave way for students coming from far away places. Work was at the roofing level at the time the regional minister and his team got to the Presbyterian Boys Senior High School (PRESEC) at Legon. The Headmaster, Mr Africanus Anane indicated that the facility could not be used to accommodate the students on October 15 since it was not habitable. "We also do not have a single place for boarders. Meanwhile, we have students coming from Bolgatanga, Tamale, Afienya and other far away places," he said, adding that the assembly hall could not be used for the students as various activities were held in it. At Achimota School, work on the dormitory and a six-unit classroom block was at the foundation level. The Headmistress, Ms Beatrice Adorn, said the science laboratory and other old structures which would be rehabilitated would be used to accommodate the 485 students. The regional minister was happy with the progress of work at the various schools and the measures being adopted by school authorities to accommodate the students. Source: Daily Graphic