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The teachers of the Lartebiokorshie ‘2’ (Ojo Park) and the Da-Awatul Islamic Primary Schools have complained of criminal attacks by robbers.

They said a group of criminals had made the Sabon Zongo community their place of abode and used the schools as their meeting place to ransack the property of the schools on daily basis.

Mr Yusif Adam and Mrs Gifty Hadzi, the HeadTeacher and the Head Mistress in charge of the two schools respectively made this known to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at separate graduation ceremonies at the weekend.

The graduations were sponsored by Indomie Noodles, Homecare Company, Radio Gold and the Royal Driving Schools on the theme: “Education, Key to Success.”

They said all attempts made to prevent the criminal activities in the schools had failed and even teachers were verbally abused.

Mrs Hadzi said: “Often, the criminals break into the classrooms at the weekends and throw out the chairs, desks and other learning materials which laid at the mercy of the weather till schools resumed on Mondays.”
She therefore appealed to the chiefs and opinion leaders of Sabon Zongo to help prevail upon the criminals to stop their activities to promote teaching and learning at the schools.

Mrs Hadzi further pleaded with the chiefs, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and other stakeholders to assist in the provision of Junior High School block and a library to enhance teaching and learning.

She said the responsibility of children’s education was not for teachers alone and called on parents to complement the efforts of school authorities by helping to monitor the pupils at home for them to take their homework serious.

Mr Adam appealed to the AMA to beef up security in the schools and that the illegal squatters at the vicinities was disturbing teaching and learning.

He drew the attention of Islamic parents of the importance of circular education and urged them to enroll their children in schools to promote the growth.

Madam Doris Owusu, a Director at the Office of the Accra Metropolitan Directorate of Education said children’s education was crucial for development, hence the need for parents to give priority to their school needs.

“Aside, government’s commitment towards the welfare of the children, it is important for all stakeholders to also champion the course in quality education for the children to become useful to society in future,” she said.
She urged parents to supervise their children’s school work at home and be vigilant of their movement.

Mr Martin Apimah, the Circuit Supervisor of the Ghana Education Service of Ablekuma schools, said it was government’s policy that every community took active part in the running of educational activities and commended the individuals that contributed in the graduation programmes.

Alhaji Sheikh Abdullah Tobodu, the Greater Accra Arabic Schools Coordinator of the Islamic Education Unit expressed concern about the low representation of Islamic teachers in the country.

He said out of the 46 schools in the Greater Accra only 30 per cent of the teachers were Muslims and urged Muslim parents to send their children to school.

Madam Jane Amerley Oku, the Chief Executive Officer of Janok Foundation, a Community Based Organisation at Sabon Zongo donated a variety of books to the two schools.