Gbonkoyiri Residents Demand Urgent Renovation of Dilapidated School after 36 Years of Neglect

Residents of Gbonkoyiri, a community within the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District, are issuing urgent calls for intervention to address the severe deterioration of their public school infrastructure.

The Gbonkoyiri D/A Primary School, established in 1989, has suffered over three decades of neglect, with no significant renovations or improvements made since its founding. This prolonged neglect has left the school in a state of disrepair, threatening the safety and educational prospects of its pupils.

During a recent community engagement with Info Radio, Gbonkoyiri residents voiced their deep frustration over the school’s deplorable condition. The facility, composed of a six-unit classroom block, is plagued by missing windows and doors, decaying wooden structures, and a severely damaged roof made of rusted zinc sheets.

The compromised roofing leaks extensively during rainy seasons, making classroom attendance challenging for both teachers and students. Cracked walls have become hideouts for reptiles, creating an unsafe environment described by locals as a “death trap.”

The deteriorating conditions have had a direct impact on school attendance. Many children avoid attending classes due to the unsafe and unhygienic environment. Similarly, teachers are reluctant to accept postings to the school, citing the lack of functional shelter and poor working conditions.

Madam Mary Maaseh, a concerned resident, emphasized the daily hardships faced by parents, especially women, who often have to interrupt their farming activities during bad weather to fetch their children from school.

“Because there are neither windows nor doors and the roofs leak excessively, we are compelled to leave our farms to go and pick up our children from school,” she lamented.

Madam Maaseh also highlighted the absence of furniture in classrooms, which forces children to sit on the bare floors. This not only compromises their comfort but also causes their uniforms to become dirty, leading some children to drop out of school altogether.

“There is no furniture for the learners to sit on in virtually all the classrooms, so they return home very dirty,” she explained. “Children who value cleanliness are discouraged and drop out rather than sit on the floors and spoil their uniforms.”

The community feels neglected by local authorities and expresses disappointment in the lack of action by the Sawla Tuna Kalba district assembly, despite expectations for development in the area.

Residents are urging the Assemblyman, District Chief Executive Hon. Sinkaanaa Saaka, Member of Parliament Hon. Andrew Dari Chiwiitey, and relevant Non-Governmental Organizations to prioritize the rehabilitation of the existing school or the construction of a new block to provide a safe and conducive learning environment.

The residents emphasize that addressing these infrastructural deficiencies is critical not only for the well-being of the students but also for improving educational outcomes and the future prospects of the community.

Without urgent government intervention and support, Gbonkoyiri’s children risk continued deprivation of quality education in a secure and supportive setting. The call for action remains loud and clear: the children of Gbonkoyiri deserve better facilities and urgent care.