Students of State Deaf School Stuggle To Get To School...

Work on a two-storey dormitory block for boys of the State School for the Deaf at Adjei Kojo in the Tema Metropolis has stalled because of lack of funds while the students travel long distances to school everyday. The girls� block has been completed but the drainage system has defects and so the building cannot be put to use. Information gathered at the school indicated that during the BECE examinations, authorities had to make some arrangements to have the finalists sleep in the incomplete block because of the difficulties they encountered to arrive at school early. The school, from kindergarten to junior high school was established in 1965 and initially located at Teshie in Accra. In 1999, it was moved to Adjei Kojo with the intention to add boarding facilities. When the Daily Graphic visited the school on Wednesday, it realised that the boarding facility which was started in 1994 had not been completed. The students, therefore, found it difficult commuting to school daily from their homes. At the close of school, most of the students who travelled from Kasoa, Nyanyano, Dodowa and generally areas close to Accra, usually lined up along the road and asked for a ride from passing vehicles. The situation caught the attention of people in the community who expressed concern about the safety of the children. The Headmaster of the School, Mr Michael Cudjoe, said the school had a 33-seater bus which plied the main routes to Kaneshie but the students were expected to find means of joining the bus at Kaneshie, from wherever they lived. He said those who were outside the route of the bus had to find their own means to get to school . Mr Cudjoe explained that during the BECE period , the school and parents of the children managed to camp the students because of the early hour classes organised for them. He disclosed that the security was poor, resulting in encroachment on the school�s land which was not fenced and appealed for support from government and other agencies to help cater for the needs of the unfortunate students . He also called on the Tema Metropolitan Assembly and the Tema Development Corporation to stop the encroachers and also demolish structures on the school�s land. Local government officials the Daily Graphic contacted on the issue were tight lipped. When the Tema West Sub Metro Education Officer , Mr Godson Larnoh was contacted, he said he was not in the position to talk to the media, but added that , �everything is under control.� He, however, confirmed that the completion of the structures had delayed but was hopeful that help would come .