The Headmistress of Chemu Senior High School (SHS) in Tema, Mrs. Vicentia Kyere Anin-Agyei, has appealed for urgent intervention to address key infrastructural challenges affecting both students and staff.
Her call came during a monitoring visit by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education on Monday, April 28, 2025.
Mrs. Anin-Agyei stressed the critical need for a boarding facility to support students who travel long distances to attend school, noting that the absence of such accommodation has negatively impacted academic performance and student welfare.
She cited the case of three students who, due to the burden of commuting, ended up cohabiting and became pregnant, though they managed to write their WASSCE exams last year.
“As a day school, the lack of a boarding facility is a major setback, especially for students coming from outside the Tema area. It’s essential for improving academic outcomes,” she stressed.
The headmistress also shed light on inadequate staff accommodation, disclosing that only nine apartments are available for the school’s 105 staff members. “I have personally engaged the Tema Development Corporation, the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), and written to the Ministry of Education for support. At the moment, I live in a rented apartment,” she said.
Despite these challenges, Chemu SHS has made notable academic strides. The school has earned recognition in the National Science and Maths Quiz and other metropolitan-level competitions. It also runs an “academic clinic” for final-year students preparing for the WASSCE, supported by subject-matter experts.
Vice Chair of the Education Committee and MP for Kintampo North, Mr. Joseph Kwame Kumah, acknowledged the headmistress’s concerns, saying, “We appreciate your input. This information is vital for shaping policy.”
Also present, the Greater Accra Regional Director of Education, Hajia Katuma Nantogmah Attah, called for the recruitment of qualified Social Studies teachers to improve teaching quality.
Mrs. Anin-Agyei further noted that the school relies on internally generated funds from water sales and the hiring of its assembly hall. However, she lamented the irregular release of government funds, the last of which was received in 2024. This delay has hampered school operations, including payment for the school’s caterer, who has now been absent for two weeks.
