Africa-Press – Ghana. Somanya (E/R), Jan 23- TEAM CSR Ghana, a non-governmental organisation, has refurbished the Junior High School block of Yilo State Basic School in the Yilo Krobo Municipality, with support from Goldkey limited of the CHASE Group of Companies.
The renovation became necessary after the roofs of the three-unit classroom block were ripped-up in 2015 by a rainstorm,becoming a death trap for both teachers and students.
Speaking during the commissioning, Mr Jonathan Akuamoah, Chief Executive Officer/Founder of TEAM CSR Ghana expressed gratitude to stakeholders for the overwhelming support, saying, “It will make great impact on the lives of the children as future leaders.”
He expressed excitement at receiving help from Goldkey Properties as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and to mark its 25th-anniversary celebration. Mr Akuamoah said Team CSR did works inkling painting and providing dustbin, and “bringing the school back to life,”
Highlighting the historical background of the school, Mr David Kwadwo Ofosu, Headmaster, said the school block was constructed by one E.T. Dada as a private school, which was later absorbed into the public school system, but teaching and learning virtually came to a halt due to limited supplies of educational resources, he added.
For that reason, he said the facelift became possible following an appeal by Nana Awo Dede Otinor, the Suapo Manye of Yilo Krobo that was made to Team CSR Foundation.
Since the school was established, he noted, it was not renovated, and compounded by the rainstorm disaster in 2015, sections of the building, including roofing, deteriorated rapidly.
As a result, some parents withdrew their children from the school, he added and appeals were made to some well-wishers including; the municipal assembly but their promises were not fulfilled.
Mr Alex Dordor, project manager of Goldkey Properties Limited stressed the importance of education with a famous quote of former South African president Nelson Mandela, saying, “Education is the most powerful weapon one can use to change the world.”
Leaders of the company, he said had been where “this children are before and we believe that children are the future of the country [Ghana].” He commended the Team CSR CEO who provided pictures of the old state of the school which stirred Goldkey commitment to the development of children education in Ghana.
Looking at the state of the school structure years ago, he stated, “We found that the school was a death trap, some classroom structures were in decay and other school buildings were in a dreadful state.”
“Also, there were roofing gap, rusty and posed danger to the student.”
He said Goldkey believed in giving back to communities and had, over the years, championed initiatives in the areas of health and welfare, education and environmental and sanitation.
Mr Eric Tetteh, Yilo Krobo Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), said development was a shared responsibility, adding, “The municipal assembly alone cannot do it,” and thanked the Suapo Manye for the “wonderful lobbing.”
He appealed to the people of Yilo Krobo to support the development of the municipality, stressing that, people should not be partisan but rather focus on social and economic development to improve their livelihoods.
He advised the headmaster and teachers, schoolchildren and community members to maintain the refurbished block to enhance teaching and learning.“This building is meaningless, if teachers don’t teach because the building alone should motivate the schoolchildren to learn,” he added.
Mrs Veronica Tetteh, Municipal Education Director of Yilo-Krobo, said the poor state of the school block years ago after the 2015 rainstorm led many parents to withdraw their children from the school. She said the population had dwindled to the level that, she was almost “giving up hope of bringing life back to the school.”
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