Traditional authorities of New Ayoma in the Jasikan District of the Oti Region are lamenting the dilapidated state of the New Ayoma JHS A classroom block.

According to them, the situation is affecting their academic activities as school automatically closes when rains loom due to the leaky roofings.

The New Ayoma JHS A established about a century ago has never seen any renovation. The four-unit classroom block is fast deteriorating and almost becoming a death trap. 

Its roof has completely damaged with several sections leaking when it rains. 

Academic activities are often disrupted during the rainy season.

“At times when we are in the classroom and it is about to rain, because of the damage to the roofing sheets, the teachers close for us to go home, that is very bad”, Amenuve Gloria a student of the school bewailed. 

The School's Parents Teachers Association began replacing the damaged roofing sheets but had to truncate the project due to lack of funds. 

The Junior High School 1 classroom which has its roof sheets changed, serves as a shelter for the entire school when it's raining during contact hours. 

The PTA Vice Chairman New Ayoma JHS ‘A’, Gabriel Agble, explained that contributions for the project were not forthcoming due to the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic since the income level of parents dropped. 

The school’s student population of about 250 is also faced with a lack of furniture. 

Parents who can afford, provide tables and chairs for their children, while those from deprived homes are left to their faith. 

These underprivileged pupils end up sitting on stones during studies. Others sit on tables or benches while they write in books placed on their laps.

This sitting posture may affect their spines and hurt their health, as they strive to achieve academic excellence in a congested classroom. 

“We are too much in the class, according to the Covid-19 protocols they say we should not be more than 30. But here we are even more than 50 in a class. We also don't have desks to sit on. We somehow pair with our colleagues,” Adjei Genevive a student lamented.

She explained that the unavailability of an Information Communication Technology lab is affecting their study of the discipline since they don't have the opportunity to practice what they have been thought in theory.

Traditional authorities are worried about the development in the school since it impedes the education of these young ones. 

The Assembly Member for the New Ayoma Electoral Area, Adeleke Benjamin, indicated that several attempts to get relevant intuition to renovate the structure have proved futile. 

A native of New Ayoma, Michael Komla Adotey, who is a product of the school explained the community was compelled to spearhead a campaign to raise funds to renovate the 4 unit classroom block. 

He is hoping government and philanthropic organisations would support the community to help renovate the dilapidating classroom block and provide the student body with enough furniture to penance academic activities.