Several angry Ashaiman Technical Vocational Institute (Ash Tech) students stormed the Municipal Assembly’s grounds earlier on Monday in an effort to get answers after having had enough of everyday difficulties hampering their studies.
After traveling quite a distance in opposition to an E-Block project that has been delayed since a change in government, the students in their uniforms and red bands wouldn’t let anything stop them.
Cephas Yakanu of the Installation 3A class stated the abandoned E-Block project is their main worry in an interview with JoyNews.
To accommodate the hundreds of students enrolled in these technical and vocational courses, it must be finished. The lack of a workshop prevents us from doing practicals.
Several students had to construct tents that have been mounted outside due to the circumstances. It shouldn’t be the case that the school operates on a shift system. For instance, construction and building lessons are taught outside, not to mention installation classes and other subjects, he complained.
There was no government-sponsored technical school in Ashaiman prior to their current site.
By a unique agreement between the government and the institute, students were required to receive training at Don Bosco Technical Institute after completing their basic education.
However, in 2018, the government took efforts to operate a technical school, ending the two parties’ unique relationship.
In order to accommodate pupils who were to be transferred to the E-Block at Community 22, Ash Tech was given certain buildings from the group of schools at Lebanon Tsui-Bleo at the time, but this has not yet occurred.
Due to the increased noise, the pupils claimed they felt uneasy sharing an area with a junior high school and a Montessori.
They claim that their leadership has written numerous letters, followed up with Albert Okyere, the Municipal Chief Executive, and others, all in vain.
Several students are crammed into one class, making it quite uncomfortable for Martha Teye of Business 3 in addition to the Building and Construction, Auto, Installation, Fashion, and Catering students learning under the shade.
“For our end, the workshop is completed, but students are not able to use it because the E-Block is uncompleted. I have been in the same classroom for the last two years,” she said.
Business 3 student, Abdel Salam Zachariah found it quite bizarre that all three courses; Business ICT, Business Secretariat, and Business Accounting taking place in the same classroom.
“Some students are made to forfeit the classroom for others to learn during the elective subject. We need the government to act now before it’s too late,” he pleaded.
Gauging the atmosphere, the Education Director, his executives, and executive members of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly decided to meet the leadership of the students.
After more than an hour of discussion, the parties agreed to present the petition in front of all the irate students who had rushed the building.
Sani Mariam, the Ash Tech Girls’ Prefect, brought the petition to Clifford Heneku Budu, the Education Director, who gave it to Collins Ohene-Gyan, the Municipal Planner, to accept in place of Albert Okyere, the Municipal Chief Executive, who was in Accra at the time.
Clifford Heneku Budu, the director of education for Ashaiman Municipality, commended the students for their behavior and gave them the assurance that the directorate will work nonstop to meet their needs.
We realized that frequent visits to your school were necessary. Our superiors promised that the E-block and other problems would be resolved within a month. Also, the institution is making efforts to abolish the shift system.
The kids, who had been in the sun for hours, cheered and applauded loudly in response to his words.
