Students of Ndewura Jakpa Senior High School (SHS) in the West Gonja District of the Northern Region have expressed fear of an outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) at the school if the congestion in the school is not addressed.

The makeshift dormitories made with black polythene which has been created on the school's verandas by students due to congestion are poorly ventilated  

Getting a place to sleep at night has become a nightmare for some of the students because the ability to secure a sleeping place is based on first come first serve.

Joy News correspondent, Rafiq Salam reports that due to the congestion, there is no space for their bags as they are left outside at the mercy of the weather.  

The school is named after a great Gonja warrior and it was first established as a middle boarding school over 60 years ago, but later metamorphosed into a secondary technical school some 25 years ago.  

With a student population of over 1200, the school is faced with a myriad of challenges, chief amongst them is overcrowding in the dormitories.

They have four dormitories with required to house a maximum of 300 students, although it is not clear how many students it currently houses.

However, the makeshift polythene dormitories paint a picture of overcrowding in the dormitories. 

Some students pass the night on the verandas with mosquito nets to protect them from mosquitos and also to help them against the vagaries of the weather. The student fear that there will be an outbreak of CSM. 

Another issue of a bother to the students is the lack of a kitchen and dining hall and Rafiq Salam reports that food is not prepared under hygienic conditions.

The dining hall was created was created several years ago to cater for some 600 students but the students population currently is doubled. 

Due to the large numbers, the students don't eat at the dining hall as they won't fit into the hall. Students only pick their food and find somewhere to eat. 

In a bid to solve the problem, government through the Ghana Education Trust Fund is constructing a boys dormitory complex and a 3500 capacity dining hall and other projects for the school although works have stalled on all the projects.

Senior Prefect of the School Akolingo Francis whilst thanking the government for initiating numerous projects to ease their challenges. 

Master Akonlingo was also quick to point out that the contractors executing the projects have abandoned them.

"Currently, there are lots of uncompleted structures in the school. They [contractors] come to the site and within some few hours, they leave," he said.

He pleaded with government to complete the abandoned projects to make life on campus better.

But the West Gonga Chief Executive, Kasim Bakhari Ali disagreed Master Akolingo arguing that the dining hall is at the lintel level and he has written for the contractors to be given the required funds to finish the project. 

"It is not an abandoned project but an ongoing one so the contractor in a matter of time will be done with the job and we will hand it over to the school," Kasim Ali said. 

He assured the school authorities and students that in no time they will have a comfortable place to sleep, eat and carry on with their teaching and learning.