By Austin Agyenim Boateng
A disturbing infrastructure crisis is unfolding in the Sunyani Municipality, where hundreds of students in major public senior high schools are being forced to sleep on bare floors due to acute shortages of dormitories, beds, and other essential educational facilities.
The affected schools include Sunyani Senior High School (SUSEC), St. James Seminary Senior High School, and Seventh-Day Adventist Senior High School (SDA SHS), all grappling with severe infrastructure deficits that threaten student welfare and academic performance.
The alarming situation came to light during a familiarisation tour by the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr. Vincent Antwi Agyei, accompanied by the Member of Parliament for Sunyani East, Mr. Seid Mubarak, the Municipal Director of Education, and officials from the Municipal Assembly.
St. James Seminary: Incomplete facilities and dormitory congestion
At St. James Seminary SHS, the Rector, Rev. Father Felix Taah, highlighted numerous concerns, including an unfinished 16-seater toilet facility, an uncompleted science laboratory, a yet-to-be-completed assembly hall, inadequate ICT infrastructure, and a shortage of classrooms. The dormitories are severely overcrowded, forcing many students to sleep on the floor.
SUSEC: 400 students without beds, 1,500 furniture deficit
At Sunyani Senior High School (SUSEC), Headmaster Mr. Gordwin Osei Marfo revealed that while the school has space to admit 400 additional students, it lacks the infrastructure to accommodate them. The school faces a 1,500-furniture deficit, inadequate toilet facilities, especially in the girls’ dormitory, and a severe shortage of beds, leaving hundreds of students in uncomfortable and unhygienic conditions.
SDA SHS: Appeals for boarding status and feeding programme
At SDA SHS, Headmaster Mr. Abraham Opoku described the school’s non-boarding status as a major limitation. He appealed for approval to upgrade the school to boarding status, the completion of a delayed GETFund classroom block, the construction of a science pavilion, improved furniture supply, and the reinstatement of the student feeding programme to support its largely day-student population.
MCE and MP pledge support
Responding to the dire conditions, MCE Vincent Antwi Agyei expressed deep concern and pledged the Municipal Assembly’s support in collaborating with the Ministry of Education, GETFund, and other partners to address the infrastructure gaps.
“It is unacceptable for our students to be learning and sleeping in such conditions. These are our future leaders, and we must act now to ensure they have a conducive environment to thrive,” Mr. Antwi Agyei stated.
MP Seid Mubarak encouraged students to remain focused and disciplined despite the challenges. He reaffirmed the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s commitment to transforming Ghana’s education sector under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama.
A call for urgent investment
The tour, aimed at assessing the condition of educational infrastructure and understanding the challenges faced by school management and students, highlights a broader national concern: the urgent need for sustained investment in public education infrastructure to meet the rising student population under the Free SHS policy.
