Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson has directed the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly to immediately begin work on new toilet and bathroom facilities at Benso Senior High Technical School. The directive follows a tour of the school's facilities, which Nelson described as "challenging and depressing." The school, established in 1991, has over 650 students and faces various infrastructure challenges.
The school's current sanitary facilities are inadequate, with female students having to walk from their dormitory to a separate bathroom facility. Nelson specifically directed the Municipal Assembly to construct a combined toilet and bathroom facility for female students. He emphasized that the existing conditions are unacceptable and could discourage parents from enrolling their children at the school.
Beyond the immediate sanitation intervention, Nelson plans to engage the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to address some of the school's larger infrastructure challenges. These challenges include staff accommodation, dormitories, classrooms, laboratories, a dining hall, and kitchen, as well as the absence of a functioning school bus.
The school's authorities had earlier outlined several concerns, including inadequate staff accommodation and overcrowded facilities. Despite these challenges, Benso SHS Technical has recorded notable academic results, including a student emerging as the best female WASSCE candidate in the Tarkwa Municipality in 2025.
Nelson expressed encouragement by the students' performance, particularly in Chemistry, despite the condition of the school's laboratory. He urged the students to focus on their education and not allow the poor facilities to affect their academic performance. The students will sit the same WASSCE examinations as their counterparts in better-resourced schools.
The school currently has 38 teaching staff and 11 non-teaching staff, but several subjects have limited teaching personnel. Authorities have also raised concerns about the state of the boys' dormitory, which is a converted classroom, and the overcrowded dining hall.
Nelson plans to follow the school's progress and expressed his intention to return next year to assess developments. The Regional Minister also intends to approach corporate organizations in the region, including Benso Oil Palm Plantation, to support the school's development.
Key points
- The Western Regional Minister has directed urgent improvement in sanitary facilities at Benso Senior High Technical School.
- The school faces various infrastructure challenges, including inadequate staff accommodation and overcrowded facilities.
- Despite challenges, Benso SHS Technical has recorded notable academic results.
