The headmistress of Daboase Senior High Technical School, Irene Rebecca Ampaw, is seeking immediate help to tackle the school’s critical infrastructure problems.
Students are presently holding classes in dilapidated buildings, specifically two unfinished structures, an 18-unit block funded by GETFund in 1995 that’s only 45% complete and another 18-unit block constructed by Ghana Armed Forces Engineering in 2010 that’s 35% done.
Meanwhile, the Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, has vowed government backing and promised to assist in addressing the school’s infrastructure challenges.
Founded on January 28, 1991, the school started as a community-based day secondary institution, operating initially from the old Daboase D/A Primary School building with just 5 students (2 boys and 3 girls) and a staff of 3 teachers.
With unwavering commitment and diligence, the school has emerged as a hub of opportunities for countless young Ghanaians.
The current student enrollment stands at two thousand two hundred and eighteen (2,218), comprising one thousand and sixty-eight (1,068) boys and one thousand one hundred and fifty (1,150) girls, with a boarding population of one thousand six hundred and forty-three (1,643) students.
Daboase Senior High Technical School has 91 teaching staff and 19 non-teaching staff supporting the students.
The school showed notable academic progress, rising from Category C to Category B in 2020 after achieving fifth place in the Western Region’s WASSCE rankings.
In 2022 and 2023, the school achieved further success, ranking first in the region with remarkable scores of 98.08% and 99.12%, demonstrating its dedication to providing high-quality education.
Irene Rebecca Ampaw, headmistress of the school, said, “Our achievements are numerous and impressive. Here are some highlights:
Sports: Zonal champions in the inter-school volleyball competition (2024)
Competitions: 2nd place in the 66th National Independence Day Quiz Competition (2023).
Regional champions in the Regimental Band competition (2023). Zonal Independence Day Quiz champions (2022), 3rd place in the regional competition, 3rd place in the regional debate (2022), academics. Best school in agriculture in Wassa East District (2023).
The school’s impressive WASSCE rankings include topping the Western Region in 2023 with a score of 99.12% and again in 2022 with 98.08%. They also secured second place in 2021, with a notable achievement as the top school in Mathematics. In 2020, the school ranked fifth in the Western Region.
Additionally, the school earned national recognition in 2019 by qualifying for the National Science and Math Quiz competition as a Category C school at the national level.” She listed.
Despite its remarkable achievements, the school faces significant challenges.
The school’s infrastructure is lacking in several key areas, including the absence of an assembly hall, a dining hall, and an administrative block. As a result, students have to use alternative spaces for meals.
The school has a 60% completed girls’ dormitory funded by the Wassa East District Assembly in 2010, which was abandoned, and a 60% completed girls’ dormitory funded by the GETFund in 2016, which was also abandoned. The headmistress is urging authorities to provide immediate support to address the school’s pressing infrastructure needs, which are hindering its progress.
“Despite the challenges, I remain hopeful for better days ahead,” Mrs Ampaw said.
The school faces numerous issues, including:
Land disputes: Litigation over the school’s new site.
Infrastructure gaps: Lack of an assembly hall, No Dining Hall, Insufficient Administrative Block, Limited Dormitories for students, Inadequate classrooms and furniture.
Staffing challenges: Insufficient staff bungalows/flats for teachers
Resource needs: Modernized ICT and Science Laboratory, Functional Workshop for the Technical Department, School Bus, Additional support staff, including drivers, security personnel, and laborers.
“So, I am pleading with your support to assist the school,” the headmistress pleaded.
The Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, during his first visit to the school, praised the teaching and non-teaching staff for their commitment to delivering quality education and boosting academic performance.
He vowed to support the school, pledging government assistance to address its infrastructure challenges.
“I’m disheartened by the state of the infrastructure after 34 years, but I applaud the Headmistress and staff for their commitment to the students. You’ve achieved impressive results despite the challenging circumstances.”
“I’ve seen the state of the kitchen, and it’s troubling. Rest assured, Madam Headmistress and staff, my visit will spark change. We’ll work diligently to drive progress here,” he said.
-Dorothy Donkor
