The students, mostly first years, sat on benches under trees, facing white marker boards nailed to a tree. The teachers take them through the day’s lessons, at the mercy of the weather.

Under the trees, the students recounted how they get distracted by passersbys and stray animals.

“The teachers are teaching us well, but sometimes when people passing by, our concentration shifts to them and we are unable to concentrate in class,” a student said.

“Under the trees, there is a lot of noise. Sometimes when the teachers are dictating, you may not listen. Droppings from birds in the tree fall on our books and dresses. Sometimes lizards and other reptiles fall on us,” another student added.

But not all the students study under trees. Others have been cramped into a small room that used to be the school’s laboratory. There isn’t enough ventilation in this room, and the heat, during class sessions, the students said, is just agonizing.

“This place is not a classroom; the heat is just unbearable. We need fans or anything to improve aeration here.”

Sources within the school’s leadership tell me the students have been forced into this condition, partly because of the dilapidated state of one of their classroom blocks.

Constructed at the time of establishment, this building has seen no renovation at all. I can see deep cracks on the wall, some of the windows and doors are broken, or missing. This structure can best be described as a death trap.

Joseph Agyemang, an old student of Three Town SHS said he wasn’t happy about the conditions under which the students study.

Three Town Senior High School is one of the oldest schools in Southern Volta and has served the people of Denu, Adafienu and Xedzranawo communities, and beyond for over 25 years.

Before the introduction of the free SHS system, the school received occasional support from the PTA, which levied students to cater for some of their needs. But these payments have since been scrapped with the implementation of the free SHS program, leaving school authorities and the PTA handicapped.

Elizabeth Kuenyewor, the PTA Chairperson said that was their main problem and that “the development levy is no longer coming and to worsen the case, the first years have come and won’t pay anything at all”

The biggest problem in the school, which has over 2000 students, is inadequate classroom blocks and until government steps in, the students and teachers would continue to endure the unfavorable weather while depending on branches of trees for shelter in their academic pursuit.

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By: King Nobert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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First round of auditions for the 11th edition of the Miss Malaika-Ghana pageant came off at the studios of GhOne Entertainment Television in Accra last Saturday, July 12.

Hundreds of young ladies thronged the scouting venue to face the panel of judges that comprised  photographer, Rodney Quarcoo, former Miss Malaika-Ghana queen, Ama Nettey and journalist, William Asiedu.

Source: Graphic Online

The post Miss Malaika auditions take off appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.