Accra – Dr. Eric Nkansah, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), has announced that teaching and learning activities have resumed in 81 out of the 108 schools affected by the recent Volta River Authority (VRA) spillage. This development marks a significant step towards normalcy in the educational sector in areas impacted by the flooding.
According to Ghana News Agency, who spoke to the media following a three-day working visit to nine districts affected by the spillage, efforts are underway to restore educational activities in the remaining 27 schools. These schools, primarily located in the North Tongu District, are currently serving as shelters for households displaced by the floods. Dr. Nkansah emphasized the GES’s commitment to ensuring that all affected schools resume normal operations as soon as possible.
The visit by the Director-General was part of a broader initiative to assess the implementation of the Education in Emergency Plan. This plan was instituted by the GES in response to the widespread disruptions caused by the spillage of the Akosombo Dam by the VRA, a routine exercise to prevent the dam’s collapse. The resulting floods submerged several communities downstream, leading to the collapse of buildings, including schools, and the displacement of thousands of people.
To aid the affected schools and communities, Dr. Nkansah, with the support of development partners, distributed various relief items. These included tents for temporary classrooms, 3,000 school uniforms, 800 packs of teaching and learning materials, 10 boxes of school-in-a-box kits, 36 packages of recreation kits, and 32 Early Childhood Development kits.
The Government of Ghana, through the education minister, has been actively involved in implementing the Education in Emergency Plan. This initiative is pivotal in addressing the educational needs of students in the flood-affected areas and ensuring the continuity of their academic progress amid challenging circumstances.