By Francis Kobena Tandoh
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Education on Monday paid a working visit to Chemu Senior High Technical School SHTS), Tema, to obtain first-hand information on developments within the educational sector.
The Education Select Committee, led by its Vice Chair, Hon. Joseph Kwame Kumah, also Member of Parliament (MP) for Kintampo North, first met with the school’s management, during which the Headmistress, Mrs. Vicentia Kyere Anin-Agyei, shared the success stories and challenges of the school.
According to her, Chemu SHTS has been improving in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results on a yearly basis, winning the Orators’ Debate and Independence Day Debate competitions consistently, as well as preparing very well to excel in the Chief Justice Mentoring competition this year.
Touching on the challenges confronting the school, Mrs. Anin-Agyei mentioned inadequate infrastructure, an uncompleted classroom block, inadequate chemistry teachers, staff accommodation and staff room, and a high rate of absenteeism and punctuality among students.
The Headmistress appealed to the government through the Select Committee to help complete an abandoned 6-unit-classroom block, as well as the provision of an additional 6-unit-classroom block to facilitate the transition to a single-track school.
“There are several challenges confronting the school, including classroom accommodation. We have an abandoned 6-unit classroom block here. On behalf of management, I appeal to the government to complete it and also provide an additional 6-unit classroom block to enable us to transition to a single-track school,” said Mrs. Anin-Agyei.
She explained that the distance from where most of the students live to the school is quite far, a situation that has contributed immensely to the high rate of absenteeism and lateness.
The Headmistress appealed for a boarding facility for the final-year students.
Mrs. Anin-Agyei also appealed for a school bus to facilitate the movement of students of Chemu SHTS for competitions and programmes.
Responding to a question from the committee on measures put in place to improve academic work, the Headmistress observed that she has instituted intervention classes as well as an academic clinic for final years and, by extension, for the other year groups to prepare students adequately before they write their WASSCE.
Vice Chair of the Education Select Committee, Hon. Kumah, commended the management and staff of the school for their good work over the years despite the enormous challenges.
He urged the school’s management to manage the government subventions to run the school and assured that the committee would pass on their findings from the school to the Speaker of Parliament to inform policy direction.
“On behalf of the Committee, I would like to commend the school authorities for their sacrifices that have brought the school to this level. We have heard your concerns and would like to assure you that it would be communicated to the Speaker to inform policy,” said Hon. Kumah.
The Greater Accra Regional Director of Education and the Tema Metropolitan Director of Education were part of the Parliamentary Select Committee’s delegation that visited Chemu SHTS.
The Committee proceeded to Accra Girls High School and the Achimota SHS for a similar exercise.
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Education is scheduled to embark on monitoring visits to selected senior high schools and private universities across the Greater Accra, Eastern, Volta, Western, and Central regions from Monday, April 28, to Friday, May 2, 2025. Enditem
Source: Ghana Eye Report
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