The headmistress of St. Mary’s Senior High School in Accra, Doris A. Bramson has warned of an academic catastrophe if the government does not act quickly to provide classrooms for the remaining three years of the four-year sessions of the Senior High School programme.
“Classroom spaces are urgently needed for the 2011, 2012 and 2013 academic years before the entire educational system reverts to the three-year course,” she said.
She was addressed the school’s 60th anniversary Speech and Prize-Giving Day on Saturday in Accra, themed, “60 years of holistic girls’ education: Challenges for the 21st Century.” Ms. Bramson said by September this year, the school is expected to admit another set of 250 first year students but “there is not a single spare classroom to hold them.
“This situation is not confronting St. Mary’s SHS alone but other 500 second cycle schools all over the country and it is for this reason that we are appealing to the government to act quickly to save the situation.”
Ms Bramson noted that most schools will be in crisis come next academic year if 12 unit classroom blocks are not provided to accommodate the second year students of the four-year programme. She stated that despite the numerous challenges, the school has been consistent in scoring 100 per cent passes in 14 out of the 21 registered subjects and scored 92 per cent passes in last year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
She expressed her gratitude to the Old Students Association, the Parent-Teacher Association and the Member of Parliament for the area and other philanthropists for assisting the school with the provision of some basic amenities.
