Calm returns to Larteh Akuapem

Calm has returned to Larteh Akuapem after scores of irate youth, on Saturday, went on rampage in the area. The youth, in an attempt to destool the Lartehhene and Benkumhene of the Akuapem Traditional area, Osabarimah Asiedu Oko Ababio, reportedly fired gun shots and tried to burn down the chief’s palace. However the Eastern region Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Ayisi, told Citi News that they have taken certain steps to bring the situation under control. According to Chief Superintendent Ayisi, the police “are on the ground protecting the palace” and surveilling “all other necessary places we think people may destroy.” He added that the police were not as yet sure of “the cause of the chieftaincy problem” but were committed to ensuring that peace is maintained.” “In order that there will be no violence, we are here.” “We won’t allow anybody to act violently and we are sure there will be no problem,” he said.

Teachers must improve in their dressing

The District Director of Education for the Akuapem South District, Mrs. Judith Esther Offeibea Donkoh has entreated teachers to improve on their dressing to school. “All your dressing should be decent for the children to learn, because children learn from you their teachers more than their parents”, she observed. Obviously taking the female teachers on, she explained that teaching is a noble profession and teachers should uphold its integrity. Certain style of dressing that paints the teacher in a bad light and goes to distract their students should be shunned. She advised the younger female teachers to desist from wearing tight dresses, short skirts, tops that exposes their breasts, and overly using make ups to school. Such modes of dressing divert the attention of the pupil’s from what is being taught in the classroom to the dressing of the teacher. She made these comments as the first Speech and Prize Giving Day of the Aburi Presbytarian Junioh High School. Mrs. Offeibea Donkor also addressed the need for parents to play their part in the education of their children. She outlined that parents should also put up behaviours that are worthy of emulation. “As parents what are we doing to reinforce the quality of education we want our wards to attain”, she said. She entreated parents to up hold high moral standard since what they do at home are imparted onto their children. “Parents should be more careful of the morals they impart onto their wards”, she warned. The Education Director further called on parents to visit their children’s schools in order to ensure that their wards are receiving quality education and training needed to secure a better future. “By so doing, they will know the progress being made by their children in school”, she added. She explained that “the qualities we want (in education) begins right from the home; what they eat, wear, where they sleep should all be of concern”. “Lack of parental care and control usually prevents the child from getting good grades in school”, she added. Mrs. Offeibea Donkor cautioned that if quarrelling indiscipline is portrayed in the community, the children will imitate, because these act will be perceived to be good since their parents are doing same. The maiden event was under the theme “Quality Education, Our Pride” and it welcomed personalities like the District Chief Executive Hon. Winston Afari Gyan, a representative of the Member of Parliament, Hon O.B. Amoah, District Director of Education, some parents of the pupils, headteachers within the Aburi circuit, Marketing Manager for Latex Foam, teachers, and some old students of the school. The barely five year old school was established to reduce the pressure on the Demonstration Junior High School. The Headmistress, Mrs. Vida Nkansah Kyeremanteng of the school called on all stakeholders to play their part in improving the quality of education in the school.

Larteh Ahenease water may be polluted

Residents of Larteh Ahenease Akuapem leave in a seeming danger of contracting communicable diseases if the nothing is done about Kwaati, their source of water situation. Kwaati is a big well from which the town folks fetch water from, it is however at the disposal end of the main drainage that collects liquid waste in the town. Kwaati is just about 1 meters from the disposing point of this drainage or gutter. Interestingly, the Assembly member of the area, Mr. Gyampoh asserts that due to some works that has recently been done on the well, residents might be saved from risk. “The well has been covered, so the water from the gutter will not go into the well, the people are safe for now”, he said. He went on to reveal plans his outfit is putting in place to permanently find a solution to the issue in order to avert an epidermic. Mr. Gyampoh disclosed “I have held discussions with the chiefs of the town and we are now soliciting for funds to be able to extend the drainage from where it ends now”. For the time being the residents will continue to fetch water from this well which is at the disposing end of a gutter, the drainage of the town.

Aburi Girls SHS over-populated by nearly 500

Aburi Girls Senior High School is overpopulated by nearly 500 students and this is putting a lot of pressure on the infrastructure in the school. “Our school’s infrastructure is meant to serve 1,200 students and so there is a lot of pressure on our facilities when we have all the students in school from form 1-3”. This was revealed by the Headmistress of the school, Ms Rosemond Bampoe, at this year’s Speech and Prize Giving Day held under the theme “Nurturing Girls to be Global Achievers”. The school population at the beginning of the academic year stood at 1,680, indicating an overpopulation of 480 from the schools strength. It has however seen a reduction in the population with the exit of the third years who sat for the West African Examination Council. Ms Bampoe revealed that overpopulation in the school “creates congestion and overstretches the schools facilities”. She explained that the situation is “making it extremely difficult to give the desired quality of instruction and supervision that the GES and other stakeholders expect”. She further revealed that the situation has led to “overcrowding in the classrooms, dormitories and dining halls” which does not “give the teachers and students the comfort and peace of mind needed to teach and learn”. The headmistress therefore appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) “to stick to the number of vacancies that we will declare when the time comes for the placement of students through the Computerization School Selection Placement System (CSSPS)”. Speaking on the theme for the event, Ms Bampoe explained since the phenomenon of the global village is promoted by the Information Communication Technology (ICT), the school is striving to improve ICT infrastructure. The school has therefore established two 56-seater ICT labs on each of the compounds with the second one on the Irene Anderson E-learning center established in January this year. She further insisted that in nurturing girls to be global achievers, the students should “build their foundation to great achievement on time-tested values such as a commitment and dedication to their studies, both academic and co-curricular; self-discipline; truth and honesty and a mindset which sees the pursuit of excellence as a way of life. This year’s Speech and Prizes Day was organized by the 89 graduating year group of the school. The first Ghanaian headmistress of the school was honoured with a giant cake.