The Bontibor D.A Basic School in the Nkwanta-South Municipality of the Oti Region has remained closed for the past three weeks due to the alarming situation of community members using the classrooms for open defecation.
This unfortunate development has compelled teachers to abandon their teaching duties, leaving the children without access to education.
The matter was reported to the Nkwanta-South Municipal Directorate of Education (NSMDE), and the decision to close down the school was fully supported by the Directorate.
Mr Jonathan Korsina, the Nkwanta-South Municipal Director of Education, addressed the media regarding this issue, emphasizing the need for community members to show greater respect and protection towards teachers in their respective communities.
Mr Korsina highlighted the essential role teachers play as a vital workforce in the country and emphasized the importance of encouraging and respecting them in the discharge of their duties.
He expressed disappointment at the community's disregard for the teachers and stated that the Municipal Directorate would not tolerate any act of gross disrespect towards them.
The chief and elders of Bontibor were given an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to providing a conducive teaching and learning environment and ensuring the safety of the teachers before they could return to the classrooms.
As part of the conditions for the teachers to resume their duties at Bontibor Basic School, the chief and elders were required to write and sign a letter, guaranteeing that the community members would no longer defecate in the classrooms and ensuring the teachers' safety.
Mr Korsina stressed that the teachers would only return when such a written document was submitted, serving as evidence of the community's commitment. Otherwise, the classrooms might be permanently converted into public toilets.
Madam Anita Appoh, a 69-year-old woman from the community, expressed her astonishment at the situation, stating that defecating in classrooms was unheard of in their community.
She mentioned that the community had a shared toilet facility meant for the pupils and students, and the school authorities had no objection to this arrangement.
The negative development has tarnished the image of the Bontibor community, and Madam Anita Appoh questioned why people would choose to defecate in the classrooms instead of using the provided toilet facilities.
The Assemblyman for Bontibor and Salifu Electoral Area, Mr Justice Ameji, shared his concern about the impact of this situation on the education of the children. He highlighted that the Junior High School (JHS) students had missed a national mock examination due to the closure of the school.
Mr Ameji mentioned that measures had been put in place by the community, such as providing electricity to the school and engaging security personnel to prevent further incidents of open defecation in the classrooms.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Nkwanta-South Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Bright Lenwah, regarding plans for providing a toilet facility or fencing the school were unsuccessful, as he directed inquiries to the Assemblyman for the area and the Municipal Director of Education.