For more than a decade, a four-unit teachers’ bungalow at Zorkor Goo Primary School in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region has remained largely unused, deteriorating into a symbol of an investment that has failed to serve its purpose.
Built to provide accommodation for teachers serving the rural community, the facility is now in poor condition, leaving teachers posted to the school to seek accommodation elsewhere.
The situation, according to parents and community leaders, is beginning to affect teacher retention, punctuality and effective teaching.
PTA Chairman Emmanuel Ayamga Alo says the community has repeatedly raised concerns over the facility without a lasting solution.
A teacher Michael Effah, who was posted to the community from the Central Region, says the accommodation challenge poses particular difficulties for teachers who relocate from other parts of the country.
“Teachers, or maybe those who are to be posted, when they come, they will find a place to stay, which will be closer to the school, and it will help them very well in the school, which will enhance effective teaching and learning.”
Assembly Member Fuseni Nbire Apana also questioned the quality of the facility, alleging that it was not constructed to the expected standard.
He said the community previously appealed to the late Bongo District Chief Executive, Joseph Akasake Abaah, for intervention on the teachers’ accommodation and a CHPS compound. While progress was made on the CHPS facility, the accommodation challenge remained unresolved.
The current DCE, Diana Asoketarige Ayamga, however, says the Assembly is aware of the situation and is working towards renovating the facility.
For residents, the expectation is clear: after more than ten years of neglect, the bungalows must finally become functional homes for teachers, not another abandoned public facility.
Restoring the accommodation, they believe, could help attract and retain teachers, reduce commuting challenges and create a more stable environment for learning.
Source: Bolgafmonline.com|102.7 Mhz| Moses Anaba| Bolgatanga
