GBEOGO SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF GETS ASSISTANCE (PAGE 20, JAN 29, 2010)

THE Deputy Director of the Gbeogo School for the Deaf at Tongo in the Talensi–Nabdam District in the Upper East Region, Mr Francis Andiiba, has appealed for logistic support for the school.
He observed that the absence of basic requirements such as effective lighting systems, inadequate infrastructure for staff and students and bad access roads were hampering effective teaching and learning in the school.
Mr Andiiba made the appeal when the Regional Co-ordinating Council donated a number of items to the school.
The items were 50 pieces of students’ mattresses, 10 cartons of washing soap, 200 plastic plates, two large boxes of matches, 100 plastic buckets, 100 plastic bowls and 20 plastic cups.
The rest were 20 lanterns, five cartons of cooking oil and five cartons of bathing soap.
The donation was as a result of the problems the school faced when the Deputy Regional Minister, Mrs Lucy Awuni, visited the institution last year to acquaint herself with challenges of the school.
According to Mr Andiiba, the absence of electricity, a major component for communication, especially at night, for the hearing impaired students, was very frustrating and hampered effective teaching and learning in the school.
“Without lights, our children cannot communicate. It is rather unfortunate that the lighting situation is nothing to write home about. The unavailability of electricity on our campus is a drawback and we will be happy if something is done about the situation,” Mr Andiiba appealed.
The Gbeogo School for the Deaf was established in 1996 with an initial enrolment of 10 students. Currently, the school has a student population of 320, comprising 190 boys and 130 girls and operates in a 12-unit classroom block for both the primary and junior high schools.
The sad aspect is that the junior high school block does not have electricity connected to it and the dining and assembly hall complex is uncompleted.
The boys’ dormitory is overcrowded and unable to accommodate the large number of students.
According to the deputy director of the school, some of the students lie on mats instead of on mattresses.
Following an appeal made to the Regional Co-ordinating Council, a number of items were mobilised and presented to the school to alleviate their suffering.
Addressing the students, the Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, accompanied by his deputy, Mrs Lucy Awuni, and the District Director of Education, Madam Vivian Anafo, advised the students to make good use of the opportunity offered them to study hard.
He said with hard work they could be well-educated persons in future and pledged his administration’s commitment in tackling the needs of the schools.
The deputy director of the school said the items had come as a big relief to the school and promised that they would be put to good use.