Fire-ravaged Lassia SHS cries for help as accommodation crisis deepens

Lassia Tuolu Senior High School (SHS) in the Wa West District is grappling with a major infrastructure crisis after a devastating fire in March 2024 destroyed its multi-purpose dining hall, leaving over 1,200 students without a central gathering space.

Mr. Isaac Kumah, the Senior House Master of the school, expressed serious concerns in an interview with Info Radio, lamenting the slow progress of reconstruction and its ripple effect on academic and extracurricular activities.

“It wasn’t just a dining hall. It was where we held exams, entertainment events, church services—everything happened there. Since the fire, we’ve never been the same,” he said.

The gutted structure, once a vital hub for the school, also served as the main examination centre for Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates in the district. With the upcoming exams, the school fears it can no longer host students as it once did.

A new structure under the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) is currently underway, but progress has stalled. Mr. Kumah appealed to the contractor to expedite the work: “If it had continued at the pace it began, we would have been okay by now. We are pleading—let’s finish it within the next two months.”

The suspected arsonists, believed to be behind the fire, have been apprehended and are currently facing trial at the Wa Circuit Court.

“The law must take its course. It’s not about the school versus the suspects; it’s the state. We’re waiting for justice to be served,” Mr. Kumah stated.

In the wake of the disaster, temporary kitchens have replaced the modern facilities lost in the blaze, but the conditions remain inadequate.

“We’re grateful to our alumni, the PTA, and some NGOs for their donations—cooking pots, serving pans, and more,” he acknowledged. “But it’s still not enough.”

With the school’s operations significantly hampered, Mr. Kumah is appealing to government agencies, philanthropic organizations, and the general public to come to the school’s aid.

“We want Lassia SHS to return to its former glory as a top-performing school in the region. But we can’t do it alone.”