The Holy Trinity Cathedral Senior High School (HOTCASS), a once vibrant institution, has been thrust into distress and uncertainty as its nine-classroom one storey building has had parts of its roof ripped off during a rainstorm three years ago, transforming the building into a potential death traps.
The consequences of this devastating event are far-reaching. affecting its students, not only in the immediate aftermath, but also leaving lasting negative effects on their academic, emotional, and psychological well-being
Witnessing and experiencing the potential dangers of an unstable structure has left the students questioning their own safety, creating a sense of fear and uncased that lingers on long after the incident.
The school, which was founded in October 1969 as a private day school by the Anglican Church of the Most Holy Trinity, was later in September 1974 changed into the public curriculum system, making it a fully changed Government Senior High School with a total population of a little over 1,000 students.
The building once stood proudly as an architectural gem, with its soaring roofs and large classrooms, and was a symbol of progress and modernity Gradually, the roof began to weaken, leading to a catastrophic event when it was ripped off, exposes years of neglect in maintaining vital infrastructure.
Inadequate funding and a lack of consistent repairs gradually eroded the roofs durability, exposing the pupils to extreme weather conditions.
Mr. Hubert Essien, the new Headmaster who took over in February this year, in an interview with The Chronicle disclosed that, the school had been in this condition even before he took over.
According to him, the ripped off roof of the three rooms at the top was affecting the whole building, but student still sat there to study because of inadequate classrooms, with the foundation growing weaker and weaker.
He contended that the school had submitted several request for maintenance to the Ghana Education Service since last year, but to avail.
Mr Essien contented that the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Odododiodio Constituency, Nii Lantey Vanderpuje, had been briefed about the situations, yet nothing had been done about it.
The IT Coordinator of the school, Esther Akwah, also revealed that any time it rained heavily the students do not come to school, because they cannot study in the classrooms. At the end of the day, these same students sit with others to write exams.
“Some of the classrooms lack lights and fans, when it’s hot the students sit outside to learn, and when the classrooms are dark the teachers are forced to also move the students out or end the class.” she added
Some of the students who spoke to The Chronicle also noted that it made them uncomfortable and scared, because whenever it rained they were not able to study, which affected their: academic performance. It is for this reason that they are appealing to the government and stakeholders to come to their aid
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