Some 27 schools are yet to reopen following the recent Akosombo dam spill in nine districts, Dr. Eric Nkansah, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, has announced.
He said: “Working with key stakeholders, we are on track to restore teaching and learning at the remaining 27 schools in the Hokutongu district, most of which are located in camps with displaced households. It is used as a safe haven.”
“Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that all schools affected by the floods can resume teaching and learning activities in the shortest possible time,” Dr. Nkansah said during a tour of the affected schools.
Dr. Eric Nkansah disclosed this to the media at the weekend after a three-day working visit by the Volta River Authority (VRA) to nine districts affected by the Akosombo Dam spill.
About two weeks ago, the Minister of Education, GES and other agencies of the Ministry visited the Akosombo Dam spill affected area to assess and assess the emergency response to the disaster.
The DG’s visit with key directors at GES Headquarters was a follow-up to the Minister’s visit to assess the implementation of the emergency education plan developed by the Ghana Education Authority.
During the visit, the DG also donated relief materials, such as tents to be set up as temporary classrooms, to concerned communities, and transferred learners and teachers from some affected areas to unaffected schools in the same or neighboring communities. distributed.
With support from UNICEF and other development partners, DG delivered 3,000 school uniforms, 800 packs of teaching and learning materials, 10 school-in-a-box kits, 4 tents, 36 packages of recreation kits, and handed over 32 initial schools. Provide child development kits to affected communities.
The Director-General expressed the collective cooperation of the nation to achieve this feat and thanked God for protecting the lives of all students and their guardians during this difficult time.
He commended the efforts of the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Yao Archibald Letsa, the Regional Director of Education, Mr. Francis Agbemadi, district superintendents, traditional authorities, DCEs and MPs of the nine affected districts. You have made a huge contribution to restoring teaching and learning in schools.
background
After the VRA drained the Akosombo Dam as a routine exercise to prevent the dam from collapsing, some communities were submerged by the large amount of water flowing downstream.
The floods destroyed various buildings, including schools, and forced thousands of people to evacuate downstream along the banks of the Akosombo River.
The evacuees included teachers, their families, and parents of school children.
To this end, the Government, through the Minister of Education, worked to implement an emergency education plan to restore teaching and learning in affected communities and schools.
As part of Dr Nkansah’s working visit to the Volta Region, he met with stakeholders from the most affected areas, including traditional leaders from the Mepe Traditional Area. Five traditional areas. Mr. Divine Osborn Fenu, DCE of North Tong. Mr. Okjeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu; Isabella Amy, North Tongu District Superintendent.
He also met with the Volta Region Minister, Dr. Yao Archibald Letsa, visited the staff of the Volta Region Education Office, and met with the staff of the Regional Education Directorate, the District Directors of the Volta Region and other education stakeholders in the Volta Region. An open forum was held. Includes members such as CODE, COMEU, and COHBS.
They discussed, inter alia, the implementation of the ongoing GES emergency education plan, assessed progress to date and identified gray areas where further action is needed.