The Africa Education Watch has raised concerns over recent fire outbreaks recorded in some Senior High Schools in the country.
According to the education think tank, about six of such cases have been reported in the last two weeks.
Although Africa Education Watch noted that the rampant fires could be as a result of the dry season, the think tank in a statement said, “the frequency, nature and outcome of these fires remain a source of concern.”
“We recognize that the dry season is usually the peak season for infernos. However, the trendy nature of six (6) fire outbreaks in five dormitories in five Senior High Schools leaves much to be desired, especially when students are preparing for their West Africa Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE)”.
The organization in its statement made the following recommendations:
- The Ghana Education Service (GES) should liaise with the Ghana National Fire Service and the respective District Security Committees to organize school fire prevention/safety outreach exercises in all SHS.
- The Ministry of Education must provide emergency funding towards the provision of temporal residential facilities, while repair works at the various dormitories commence as soon as possible.
- The investigative reports must be made public and should feed into the GES’ school safety strategies to ensure civil society organizations and the media are able to track the compliance of schools /GES to the recommendations in the reports.
Background
In the past two weeks alone fire has gutted key infrastructure and facilities of five senior high schools.
They include Buipe SHS at Buipe, Islamic Girls SHS, Wa, Accra Academy, Bubiashie, Oppong Memorial SHS, Kokofu, and Boa Amponsem SHS at Dunkwa-On-Offin.
Accra Academy SHS experienced two fires within the two week period.
