Tema, April 28, 2025 —
The Headmistress of Chemu Senior High School (SHS) in Tema, Mrs. Vicentia Kyere Anin-Agyei, has appealed for urgent intervention to address critical challenges facing the school, notably the lack of a boarding facility and staff accommodation.
Speaking during a monitoring visit by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education on Monday, Mrs. Anin-Agyei emphasized the pressing need for a boarding facility to support the academic progress of students who commute from far outside the Tema enclave.
“We have students who come from far and wide, and as a day school, we really need a boarding facility to support their academic progress,” she said, highlighting the vulnerability of commuting students.
She cited the case of three students who became pregnant after cohabiting due to long commuting distances, though they successfully wrote the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) last year.
Staff Accommodation Crisis
The Headmistress also drew attention to inadequate staff accommodation, noting that only nine apartments are available for the school’s 105 staff members.
“I have engaged the Tema Development Corporation, the PTA, and have written to the Ministry of Education to address this issue… I currently live in a rented apartment,” she revealed.
Achievements and Other Challenges
Despite these difficulties, Chemu SHS has made remarkable strides, recording successes in the National Science and Maths Quiz and various metropolitan academic competitions.
The school also organizes academic clinics for final-year students preparing for WASSCE, guided by experts.
However, operational funding remains a concern. Mrs. Anin-Agyei disclosed that the school’s Internally Generated Fund (IGF)—sourced from the sale of water and the hiring of the school’s assembly hall—is insufficient, and government funding releases have been irregular.
The last funding was received in 2024, affecting services such as catering, with the school’s caterer absent for the past two weeks.
Additionally, the Regional Director of Education for Greater Accra, Hajia Katuma Nantogmah Attah, called for the posting of qualified teachers, especially in Social Studies, to improve teaching and learning at the school.
Committee’s Response
Vice Chair of the Education Committee and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Kintampo North, Mr. Joseph Kwame Kumah, commended the headmistress for her candid briefing.
“We appreciate your input and are gathering this information to inform policy,” he stated.
The Committee’s monitoring visit, scheduled from Monday, April 28 to Friday, May 2, 2025, covers selected Senior High Schools and Private Universities as part of Parliament’s oversight responsibilities.
