Students of Aggrey Memorial A.M.E. Zion School have raised alarms about severe overcrowding in their dormitories, urging for immediate infrastructural improvements to ease the situation. The Girls’ Prefect, Maame Doku Blay, highlighted that many students have been forced to sleep in the corridors, which not only exposes them to security risks but also increases the likelihood of contracting communicable diseases.
In a call for action, Blay stressed the need for additional dormitory blocks and enhanced water facilities, such as more boreholes and water storage tanks, to combat frequent water shortages.
The school’s 85th anniversary, held last Saturday, served as a platform to address these issues. The event, themed “Building on 85 Years of Quality Education: The Role of Stakeholders,” was attended by government officials, alumni, and well-wishers. During the ceremony, Headmistress Dorothy Adentwi-Hayford reiterated the urgent need for better infrastructure to support the nearly 5,000 students.
Despite the school’s strong academic reputation, Adentwi-Hayford pointed out that there were pressing challenges, including overcrowded classrooms and dormitories. She called for a new 28-unit classroom block to improve the learning environment, as well as additional staff accommodation to help teachers better supervise students and maintain discipline.
Furthermore, the school’s dining hall, which can only accommodate 1,000 students at a time, needs expansion to address the long waiting times many students face during meal times. The school also struggles with security, with only seven personnel assigned to guard the entire campus, including dormitories, staff quarters, and the school gate.
Adentwi-Hayford also brought attention to transportation issues, requesting a 65-seater bus to ease the pressure on the current fleet. She emphasized the need for a refurbishment of the school’s library, which would provide students with more modern books and digital resources to improve their academic performance.
Although recent West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results were below expectations, with only 673 students achieving grades between A1 and C6, the school has introduced measures such as extended teaching hours and supervised study periods to boost student performance.
The anniversary event was spearheaded by the 2000 Year Group of the Aggrey Memorial Old Students’ Association (AMOSA), who donated a newly constructed 10-seater washroom facility as part of their legacy project. The Central Regional Minister, Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah, assured the school of government support in addressing its infrastructure challenges and mentioned plans to provide a generator to mitigate power outages.
The celebration also featured a march past by the school’s army cadet and a showcase of the school’s achievements over the years.
