The management of Kanton Senior High School (KANSEC) in Ghana's Upper West Region has expressed satisfaction with recent improvements in student feeding and infrastructure. According to Headteacher Mahamudu Zakaria Savei, the school has made significant progress in managing student feeding over the past three years, with severe food shortages no longer disrupting academic activities. Although occasional challenges with resource inflows still occur, students no longer complain about poor feeding or lack of food.
The school has also benefited from significant infrastructure interventions. A 12-unit classroom block is currently 80-85% complete, with ongoing painting, electrical works, and finishing activities. Additionally, a 300-capacity hostel facility is being constructed to address accommodation challenges, particularly for female students. With a student population approaching 2,000, the school faces intense accommodation pressures, especially with the number of female students exceeding that of male students in recent years.
The school is also expecting the rehabilitation of its internal roads, following a commitment by the government through the Ghana Highways Authority. According to the headmaster, fixing the roads would represent one of the most significant interventions at the school in decades and improve the environment for teaching and learning. The school also welcomes a reported commitment to upgrade Kanton SHS from its current Category B status to Category A, which would provide an environment capable of supporting improved academic outcomes.
Despite the progress, the Principal identified ICT infrastructure as a major weakness. He appealed to the government, the Education Minister, the Upper West Regional Minister, and the Member of Parliament for Sisala East to consider Kanton SHS for major interventions aimed at equipping senior high schools with modern ICT facilities. The school currently lacks fitting ICT infrastructure to facilitate teaching and learning, especially with 21st-century tools.
Assistant Headmaster in charge of Academics, Samuel Aburiya, raised concerns over teacher shortages, particularly in sciences and languages. The school currently has only two teachers handling Physics, with one not originally trained in the subject. Chemistry faces a similar challenge, with only one trained Chemistry teacher available. English Language is also among the subjects facing staffing challenges, and about five teachers are expected to leave the school this year, potentially widening the staffing gap.
The shortage of teachers and non-teaching staff is a pressing issue, with several positions left vacant following retirements without corresponding replacements. Sanitation is another pressure point, with the rapid growth in the school's population placing considerable pressure on its sanitation facilities. The headmaster warned that inadequate sanitation infrastructure could expose students to health risks and undermine academic activities, calling for urgent investment in additional facilities.
Management acknowledges the infrastructure and feeding improvements recorded in recent years but emphasizes that the next phase of support must focus on teachers, ICT facilities, sanitation, and other essential infrastructure. This would ensure that the gains translate into sustainable improvements in teaching and learning. The school's participation in the National Science and Mathematics Quiz highlights the need for adequate staffing and resources to support academic activities.
Key points
- Kanton SHS seeks urgent action to address teacher shortages and improve ICT facilities.
- The school's management praises recent infrastructure and feeding improvements but highlights ongoing challenges.
- Upgrading Kanton SHS to Category A status could provide an environment capable of supporting improved academic outcomes.
