Marijuana smokers and thieves are said to be wreaking havoc on TMA Primary and Junior High School (JHS) at Sakumono in the Tema West Municipality, a situation parents, teachers and other stakeholders can no longer contain.

The miscreants are having a field day at the school having literally converted classrooms into washrooms and the compound, a refuse dump.

Thieves recently made their way into the walled school to steal computers, laptops and other valuables.  

School Management Committee Chair, Daniel Adu Nyinaku told Joy News they are struggling to find an antidote to the menace from committers of the despicable acts.

“ The thieves stole laptops and computers belonging to the school by going through the roof, chiselled into the room where they were kept and bolted with the equipment.

"Fixing the damages being done to the school comes with a great cost the Parent-Teacher Association cannot bear alone,” he narrated.

According to him, Tema West Municipal Assembly (TWMA)  looks on as the school fast deteriorates.

“Despite having reported to TWMA, nothing has been done about it. From broken windows to ripped-off roofs, the Assembly keeps repeating the chorus of not having funds to help”

“The school management committee is doing its part by fixing some of these challenges,” he added.

He was quite puzzled that despite government not having money to fix challenges in the school, it had enough to build an Astroturf on the school’s compound.

He explained that miscreants are deliberately destroying roofing sheets in good condition.

“Once a particular roof goes off, they are quick to make away with it and even do same to those which are in a good state. Apart from smoking and defecating in the classrooms, they also destroy the furniture irrespective of whose uses it,” he said.

The school management committee believes replacing broken wooden windows with hollow blocks is one of the solutions to challenges.

 Daniel Adu Nyinaku revealed that the situation is out of hand and it’s forcing teachers to seek transfer from the school.

TMA Basic and Junior High School are open to receiving help from Ghana Education Service, the Education Ministry, companies and philanthropists alike.

Chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association of the school, Stephen Asante added that the school is helpless with the perpetrators becoming a thorn in their flesh.  

These attacks have resulted in almost all washrooms in the school not functioning.  

“It is really a nightmare for us and we are unable to deal with it. One of the teachers had her bowl filled with human excreta and furniture in her class destroyed. She eventually left the school out of frustration”

“ Despite our attempts to get Tema West Municipal Assembly to help address these challenges, the town folks too have a responsibility to keep an eye on the school,” he shared.

For parent, Esther Yeboah, it is quite an eyesore at the canteen which is often littered with faeces.

“ There isn’t any part of the school where one won’t across human excreta. Security must be paramount and it’s an urgent matter”

Madam Faustina Mensah who has a ward and sells in the school said nefarious activities are on the rise and must be dealt with.

“I know of a teacher who requested for transfer because she couldn’t handle dealing with the toilet every in her class. My first born schooled here but the school is gradually losing its image. Government seems unperturbed about the issues”

Agnes Asamoah, a parent could not find words to describe what they are experiencing.

“I have been selling fruit here for so many years. This place was beautiful as parents rushed to bring their wards here but the same cannot be said of the current situation.”

“We now have to purchase disinfectants daily to clean our spots as we are bombarded with faeces and other waste. This affects sales and we incur losses. We need a permanent solution to these acts in the school, she pleaded.

Meanwhile, Tema West Municipal Assembly said its engineer is taking estimates of items destroyed and other challenges in the school for the necessary action.