3unit classroom of Atampuurum B Primary School in Sumburungu uncompleted after 13 years
368 Pupils of Atampuurum B primary school in Sumbrungu of Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly of the Upper East Region risk their lives day by day learning in an environment that could be described as a death trap. According to the information gathered by Apexnewsgh.com, the school has been operating without doors, windows, and even with an open roof since after the roof was ripped off by rainstorm years ago. These are the conditions innocent pupils of Atampuurum B primary are faced for the past years and Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly has had different faces as MCEs without giving any attention to the school to date. I was told, whenever is threatening to rain, teachers will have no other option than to pupils ask the children to go back home, which means the children are learning under the outrageous squelching sun each day. Community members have been doing their little best assisting the abandoned school in one way or the other but unfortunately, the municipal assembly isn’t bothered about the school. The Sumburungu electoral Area Assemblymember Azure Samuel who expressed dissatisfaction with the school’s current condition said, he contested the Assemblymember position because of the neglected Atampuurum B primary school but unfortunately if he raised the issue during the assembly meeting the MCE will not give him any concrete response. “The MP Isaac Adongo is aware of the school, I have forwarded messages to him, he didn’t reply, he didn’t say anything about it”. He revealed “They started building the school since 2007 thereabout, but up to now, the school has not been completed. The windows are not there, the doors are not there, and even the roofing, the wind came and destroy everything and that was the time my brother Robert Awure was there as the assembly member somewhere 2014-2015 he went and informed the MCE and that time, I was a teacher at the school. So, 2016- 2017, we were not hearing anything concerned about that school. So, it was 2018 when some people came and took pictures of the place that they are going to help and we didn’t hear anything from them. Even up to now, that am speaking to you, the school is like that. There is no furniture, the windows are not there, the classrooms are still like that, even there is no office for the teachers. Even common table the teachers didn’t have. It was just recently the community mobilized some monies and buy some plastic chairs. In 2019, I was able to raise some 5 bags of cement and we were able to floor some of the classrooms from Primary 1 to Primary 3”. “When I went to the Assembly, I was talking about the school and they will not even mind me. They read the action plan, the school wasn’t mentioned and I asked the MCE but he wasn’t even giving any concrete reason for not putting the school there. So, I don’t know the problem of that school as am standing”. He told Apexnewsgh.com I was there when my brother the former Assemblyman Robert Awuure wrote to the Municipal Assembly and the MCE Amiyuure with the Director came to the school. It was because of that school I decided to contest as Assemblyman and I have regretted because, they sent me there to see what is there as their assembly member and now, I went to assembly and I can’t even speak. Mr. Akolgo Mathew the headteacher at Atampuurum B Primary school told Apexnewsgh.com that he came and met the school without a window, without doors, without furniture, and even without roofing. “The situation is becoming so bad because the environmental condition is deeply affecting teaching and learning” He is appealing to authorities, NGOs and well-meaning Citizens to come to their aid. Meanwhile, the Caretaker MCE for Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly Joseph Amiyuure, admitted not knowing the funding source responsible for Atampuurum B Primary school. “If it was on Common Fund or once it has been initiated from one of the funding sources and if is on Common Fund, it means is only Common Fund that can rescue that school and one thing about Common Fund is that, before our regime came into office and i became a Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) there are numerous of such projects that was scattered in the Municipality under Common Fund uncompleted. So, we need to know the funding source and if it’s not from Common Fund, we can find a way of working on it because, most of these development partners when they are giving their money, they will want you to use it for a project which will show is their project. They don’t want you to use their money to complete an uncompleted project of Common Fund. And if you look at the Common Fund since we came to office, the quantum of resource that will come is almost clean up. We have never gotten up to 300,000”. He told Apexnewsgh.com However, the former Assembly member for Sumburungu electoral area Robert Awuure when giving his account about the school said, “When I took over as assemblyman, I called the contractor and he said unless we came down to Accra and arrange with the GETFund people to give him his money, he cannot come down to continue with the project. And you can imagine that small building, they give it to somebody in Accra to come down to Bolga to build. So, that was the main problem. So, I brought it down to the assembly level to see whether they can fix it in their project, and actually, they agreed and put it in their project but, they were also looking for funding and they were rolling it over and over and over until I myself left the assembly. According to Mr. Awuure, the school was captured in the 2014 to 2019 budget. However, teachers and community members of Sumburungu are calling for those who matters to give urgent attention to the abandoned school. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam
UER: School furniture in Talensi St. Thomas Aquinas pathetic, needs urgent attention
The furniture problem in most schools is becoming too problematic for most schools in the Upper East Region. A school is known as a place of teaching and learning. But one would ask, what are the role of our district assemblies when it comes to making furniture available to schools? In Talensi District of the Upper East Region, the story of St. Thomas Aquinas Primary School Gdeogo is becoming more popular than the normal Nigerian Mr. Ibu comedy’s we watch on television screen each day. It is becoming so common these days to see school buildings easily putting up by MMDCEs through their Internal Generated Fund/ Common Fund across the region without making provisions for furniture, to enhance a better learning conducive atmosphere for our innocent children. In Talensi District St. Thomas Aquinas Primary 1 classroom, the table above was capture and I have been wondering if the pupils found in this classroom will be able to described ‘Table’ accurately when given the opportunity because it is obvious this classroom table is very exceptional. Apexnewsgh.com, is however using its platform to appeal for the assistance of well-meaning personalities within and outside the region to come to their aid. However, the school is generally having a furniture problem. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093.
Talensi District Assembly denied having knowledge of any ripped off classrooms in Baapelug
Talensi District Assembly has denied having knowledge of the ripped off classrooms at Baapelug JHS which occurred since May 2020. The incident which has become an eye saw has put the lives of Pupils of Baapelug JHS in very serious danger, especially as the region waits to receive its first share of the 2021 rainfall. Apexnewsgh.com can report that teaching and learning aren’t conducive to the current situation. According to a leading member of ‘Narrative Change,’ a recognized organization formed to foster development by some patriotic citizens of Upper East Region Solomon Gbenga, a little over Five Thousand Ghana Cedis (Ghc 5,000.00) will be able to save the lives of these pupils by way of fixing the long-awaited looming danger. However, he is calling on authorities, chiefs, and well-meaning personalities of Talensi living in both home and abroad to come to the aid of the innocent children before any harm is caused. The Assemblyman of the area Osman Abubakar Abengo (Hon) when contacted said, he cannot dispute in 2018 the incident did not happen but, emphasizing that with the current situation happened in 2020. “I learned that wasn’t the first time that school was ripped off. It has happened and happened again. So, when it happened, immediately the headmaster called me and I immediately went there and we sent a report to the assembly and the engineer followed up immediately to the site and then we assessed it, and it came out that the wood that was used is all rotten. So, the previous job they did was to just put on some new wood on top and put new zinc. But, the bonding between the new and the old wood could not happen because the down one was rotten and it was only the top one was strong hence what happens in April -May 2020” He explained According to the Assemblymember, after the costing with the assembly, the assembly concluded to do what he described as ‘total roofing’ before the arrival of COVID-19 and a directive was given for all schools to closed down. However, he is confident that the school will receive some attention before the rain set in, especially as the district waits for the presidential appointment of the new District Chief Executive. He further reiterated that since the reopening of schools in January, he has been following the issue up with the district assembly. Mr. Yin Jacob, the headteacher at the Baapelug JHS when contacted expressed dissatisfaction with the current situation. According to him, he came and met the incident in September 2020 when he resumed post as the headteacher, stressing that the lives of teachers and pupils are in danger and they can no longer study with their peace of mind. “Putting the roof back in shape is what we are asking for”. He told Apexnewsgh.com Most of the aggrieved parents who were not satisfied with the assembly delay in fixing up the ripped off classrooms have questioned, what the assembly is doing since the re-opening of schools in January till April 14, 2021, as at the time of filing this story, the school is still managing with their teaching and learning with such bad environmental condition. Meanwhile, when Apexnewsgh.com contacted the caretaker District Chief Executive (DCE) Dr. Christopher Boatbil on the said issue, he said the issue hasn’t come to his attention for the first time and his position contradicted the position of the assemblyman of the area whose position clearly pointed out district assembly next of action after taking the cost of the full damage. “To the best of my knowledge, i don’t know that a school is ripped off there, you are even telling me. So maybe tomorrow, I would ask the engineer to know the report they brought am aware of only Tola, am not aware of Baapelug JHS” Dr. Boatbil explained. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093.
Sonnie Badu wasn’t awarded degrees in four months – TIUA
Trinity International University of Ambassadors (TIUA) has denied awarding Degrees to the renowned Ghanaian UK-based musician, Sonnie Badu in a four-month period. “Our institution prides itself in the quality of education tailored for each of our students i.e. including their extensive body of work in ministry. Therefore, no student can obtain any major degrees including a PhD in four months. “TIUA did not issue any earned degrees to a student in a four-month period. Every earned degree acquired, must be obtained through hard work and with the time prescribed by the University.” “Therefore, any degree that has been earned by our students (Including Dr. Sonnie Badu), are in alignment with the State of Georgia religious exemption authority to receive degrees from associates to doctoral degrees. Our institution prides itself in the quality of education tailored for each of our students i.e. including their extensive body of work in ministry. Therefore, no student cannot obtain any major degrees including a PhD in four months. TIUA did not issue any earned degrees to a student in a four-month period. Every earned degree acquired, must be obtained through hard work and with the time prescribed by the University,” the statement stressed. The statement by the TIUA comes on the back of the backlash Sonnie Badu received after he claimed that he has been awarded three degrees in a space of four months. Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana’s Political Science Department, Prof. Ransford Gyampo described as an absurdity Sonnie Badu’s claim of acquiring three separate degrees in four months. “PhD enterprise has no room for miracles; God does miracles but not PhD miracles,” Prof. Gyampo said on Starr Chat on Wednesday. The celebrated musician had said that apart from his two honorary doctorate degrees, he also has a Ph.D., a master’s degree, and a bachelor’s degree. Starrfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Schools break for Easter holidays
Management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has informed staff, parents, students and the general public that all schools will break for the Easter Holidays on Thursday 1st April 2021 and resume on Tuesday 6th April, 2021. A statement said on Wednesday March 31 said academic work will commence fully on Wednesday 7th April 2021. “The Easter Break is not compulsory for boarding students and so students who wish to stay on campus will be allowed to stay and fed. “Students who decided to stay on campus should adhere strictly to school rules and regulations,” it added. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Your arrears’ll be paid immediately after Easter – GSFP to caterers
The management of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) has said funds are being mobilised to pay all the remaining arrears due caterers for providing a hot meal a day to Form 2 and Form 3 Junior High School students. A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Programme, Siiba Alfa, on 30 March 2021, urged the caterers “to exercise restraint while we engage the appropriate authorities for the release of the funds to defray the arrears immediately after the Easter break.” “We wish everyone a happy Easter and look forward to resolving our payment issues after the holidays,” the statement added. Last year, the government directed the GSFP to provide one free hot meal daily to students, as part of measures toward curbing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
National Security warns Chinese Tea ‘ACHOURA’ contains toxic chemicals
There is a harmful Chinese Tea known as ACHOURA being allegedly smuggled into Ghana by some traders, the National Security Ministry has warned. National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah, raised the red alert in a letter to the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu. The letter says the tea has found its way onto the Ghanaian market. The letter indicated that the said tea, ACHOURA has been banned by Burkina Faso’s Chamber of Commerce on 19th February, 2021 because it has traces of pesticides. The letter disclosed that the tea, from the Sahelian regions, is suspected to have found it way to the Northern parts of Ghana and some Zongo communities. ACHOURA tea is made from China and checks online reveal that it is quite a popular tea brand common in Asia and parts of Northern, Western, and Central Africa. Daily Guide Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
NaCCA can’t sanction ‘Efo juju’ textbook publishers – Adutwum
The National Council for Curriculum Assessment (NaCCA) cannot take any punitive measures against some publishers who flooded the market with textbooks that contained “bigoted” content, Education Minister Dr Yaw Adutwum has told Parliament. Answering a question filed by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on the floor of the Parliament on Thursday, 25 March 2021 about the textbooks, Dr Adutwum said the yet-to-be-approved Ghana Book Development Council Bill, will be able to deal with such cases in the future. “The Ghana Book Development Council Bill has those provisions for sanctions to be taken against publishers like this”, he said. “Unfortunately”, he noted, “the NaCCA Act does not make provision for that, so, inasmuch as you are scandalised and you do not want to see these things happening, in terms of the legal framework in which NaCCA operates, they do not have the room to do that but the Book Development Council is going to cure this deficiency.” The books: History of Ghana, Textbook 3 authored by Badu Nkansah and Nelly Martinson Anim; as well as Golden English Basic 4 authored by Okyere Baafi Alexander, were widely condemned on social media. NaCCA later came out to say they had not been approved. The publishers issued apologies for the circulation of the books. Classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Apaak appeals to GIJ to rescind its stance on students who registered late
Dr. Clement Apaak is asking the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) to rescind its decision asking students who registered and paid late for the new 2021 academic year to defer their course. Dr. Apaak who is also the Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, GIJ should seek alternatives in retrieving fees from students rather than forcing them to defer their programme. He also asked the authorities to give a little human face due to the financial pressure COVID-19 has brought on parents. The Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) in a notice earlier this week gave a directive for all students who paid their fees after the deadline for registration to defer the academic year. The development apparently outraged many students and Ghanaians which saw the school being heavily criticized with some students staging a protest at the school’s premises on Wednesday, March 24, 2021. The school in a statement on the same day justified the decision , indicating that it should not be seen as a punishment but rather an opportunity for students to maintain their studentship. But according to the Builsa South Member of Parliament, the school must be kind enough to accommodate the about 100 affected students. He argued that the student’s excuse of the COVID-19 pandemic being the reason for the delay in paying the fees is justifiable. “We all know the impact of COVID-19 on our Ghanaian economy and the global economy. We know how parents have lost jobs and sold assets. If the students registered late or have not been able to register, and they are making the case that it is as a result of COVID, I don’t think anyone should doubt them,” he said on Eyewitness News. Dr. Apaak proposed that GIJ allows the students to sit for the exams which will come off in the coming weeks. In the case of final-year students, he said GIJ can make the payment of their outstanding fees a pre-condition to their graduation rather than forcing them to defer their courses. “The institution should extend its magnanimity to the students because these are students who are not going to disappear from the surface of the earth, allow them to write the exams. They have prepared and are in the right frame of mind [to write the exams] in spite of all these socio-economic challenges that COVID-19 had brought upon them. [Allow them to write the exams] then after that, those who are completing will surely come to graduate. They will come for their certificate and whatever amount they owe the school, clearly you will ask them to pay before they get their certificate. Those who are continuing students would have to come again and register for the next semester so why can that not be the way to address the situation under these very trying times which has not been wished by any Ghanaian let alone a student,” he argued. Citinewsroom Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Students of GIJ in full anger after management decisions
Students of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) were denied access to the two campuses of the school Wednesday morning. The students, who had gone to the school for lectures, were not allowed inside because the gates had been locked. There was also some police presence to ensure law and order. The decision to lock the gates, according to the security personnel at the school, was “an order from above.” It is unclear why the school authorities decided to lock out the students; but it is believed to be in connection with a planned demonstration against the school’s directive to all students who paid their fees after the registration deadline to defer their programmes. According to a statement issued by the institute on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, “All affected students are to take note of this directive and act accordingly.” Mr Daniel Machator, who is in charge of Public Affairs at GIJ, said the decision was taken following the expiration of the grace period it gave to defaulting students to pay a certain percentage of their fees. He said the deadline for the payment of fees was extended for about three times but many students did not pay any seriousness to the notices of extension. The last grace period for the payment of fees expired on February 25, 2021. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093