The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Volta Region has called on the Education Minister to respond to issues affecting education in parts of the region because of the spillage of Akosombo dam.
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister and other stakeholders from the sector paid a visit to some affected communities to ascertain the extent of damage and assured that measures would be in place to ensure education continued in the areas.
A release signed by Mr Sorkpa Kafui Agbleze, NDC Volta Regional Communications Officer, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), has however bemoaned, the delay in addressing the plights of both teachers and students.
It said although the Party commended the visit, the Minister’s attitude towards the plight of 690 teachers and 20,495 pupils in the hard-hit communities remained deeply troubling.
According to the release, the flood rendered schools in ruins, classrooms inaccessible and unusable, and learning materials washed away while teachers and students in the areas continued to suffer.
It said responses from the Minister’s visit fell short of addressing urgent needs and mitigate the plight of the pupils and teachers affected by the spillage to engender academic work.
It said pupils had lost their school uniforms, sandals, books, and other stationery while schools had been submerged, some flooded and roads linking most schools now inaccessible.
The realease, therefore, recommended an allocation of emergency relief funds to the affected communities to provide immediate assistance for affected teachers and pupils.
It urged the Volta River Authority to join other philanthropic individuals and organisations to construct pavilions to be used as learning centres.
It also called on the Ministry and Ghana Education Service to provide Teaching and Learning Materials, school uniforms, footwear, backpacks, and other essentials for the displaced pupils.
It said the affected teachers who had lost their belongings and homes should be given the necessary financial assistance to enable them to have the right frame of mind to teach the pupils.
It said attention must be paid to the emotional toll the disaster had taken on pupils and teachers and the appropriate counseling services and support programmes be provided to deal with the trauma and stress.
It called for a specialised training for teachers to enable them to support pupils who had experienced trauma.
A total of 2,432 school children and 83 teachers were affected in the Central Tongu, 1,853 pupils and 103 teachers in South Tongu, 7,037 pupils and 218 teachers in Ketu South and 10,582 school children and 286 teachers in North Tongu Districts, the release indicated.
It revealed that there were other remote recorded cases in Anlo, Keta, South Dayi, North Dayi and Kpando brought the total number of schools affected in the lower Volta basin to 79.
It said the Party remained resolute in its commitment to advocating the inalienable rights and well-being of the affected communities, teachers, and pupils.
GNA