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By Christian Yaw Ahodie,
The only primary school in Avetakpo in the Ho West District of the Volta Region has been shut down indefinitely due to the absence of teachers, leaving children in the community without access to basic education.
Residents say the situation has forced school children to travel long distances to nearby communities, crossing rivers and unsafe routes in search of education, as they call for urgent government intervention.
Avetakpo, a farming community in the Ho West District, is one of the largest settlements in the area with a notable landmark, but it continues to face serious developmental challenges.
The Avetakpo D/A Primary School was built by the US Ambassador’s Self Help Program Commissioned by Ambassador Virginia Palmer on 14th December, 2022 to improve access to education, especially because of the community’s distance from the regional capital. However, the facility now lies abandoned, with locked classrooms and unused furniture.
The school, which served as the only basic education facility in the community, operated with just one teacher who handled Primary One to Three.
According to residents, the teacher stopped reporting to duty in July last year, leaving the school without any academic activity. Since then, efforts to secure a replacement from the Ghana Education Service have not been successful.
Community members attribute the situation to the lack of basic amenities in Avetakpo, including electricity, a health facility, good road network, and reliable mobile network coverage. These conditions, they say, discourage teachers from accepting postings to the area.
As a result, children now travel to nearby communities such as Mafi-Kumase, Aflafenu, and Frankadua to access education. The journey often involves crossing streams and rivers, a situation that becomes even more dangerous during the rainy season.
A visit by this reporter revealed a quiet and deserted school environment, with locked classrooms while children roam or play during school hours.
Parents expressed concern, stating that although their children are eager to learn, the absence of teachers has forced them to walk long distances daily in search of education.
The Queen Mother of Avetakpo and Sub-Divisional Queen Mother of the Mefe Gbanvie Clan, Mama Aku Semeii, lamented that the community has been neglected for too long by successive governments. She appealed to authorities to urgently provide teachers and improve educational infrastructure.
The Assembly Member for the Abutia Agorve Electoral Area, Jonas Ali Bedi, also indicated that several letters have been sent to the Ho West District Assembly regarding the challenges facing the community, but no action has been taken.
He warned that the community may be compelled to present their grievances directly at the Assembly if authorities fail to respond, noting that the area continues to be overlooked in terms of development.
Residents say repeated appeals to the Ghana Education Service at both district and regional levels have not yielded any results.
They are now calling on the Ho West District Assembly, the Member of Parliament, and other stakeholders to urgently intervene.
Without immediate action, children in Avetakpo risk being left behind, as access to basic education remains a major challenge.
Christian Ahodie will continue to monitor developments on this story.
