The NGO also gave more than 700 copies of story books donated by a philanthropist to the Wa Regional Library and the Presby School to set up a mini-library for students.
Commissioning the newly painted school blocks after a thanksgiving Service at the Epiphany Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana – Wa, Dr Maame Tekyiwa Botchwey, a Paediatric Surgeon and Founder of HOPE for Little Lives, said the contribution was part of the NGO’s Christmas outreach services to the Upper West Region.
She expressed the hope that the facelift would motivate both students and teachers to improve on teaching and learning activities
“At least when the environment is good, teachers and students are motivated to give off their best in teaching and learning hence our motivation to carry out the painting,” she said.
Alhaji Malik Issahaku Baba, Chairman of the Dobile Presby School Parents Association (PA), described the support from the Foundation as the first of its kind in the history of the school.
Madam Linda Kampelige, Headmistress of Dobile Primary School, said the Primary School had a population of 612 students, using only nine classrooms instead of 12.
“The Upper Primary Four A and B, Five A and B, and Six A and B are found in one class each and because of the congestion in these classrooms, the teachers sit on the verandas,” she said.
According to her, the Dobile Zindeli area where the school was located was developing faster and enrolment in the school was high but without the corresponding infrastructure.
She said the Lower Primary have separate A and B classrooms and those buildings were put up by the Church and the Parent Teacher Association (PTA).
She said the government put up only one number three-unit classroom block in 2015 and since then the school never witnessed any support from the government again even though it took over the school from the Church few years after its establishment on 17th October 1995.
Madam Kanpelige said the school also still lacked a KG Block since its establishment, adding that “The KG children are sitting under trees”.
She said this compelled management to move them into an uncompleted block, which was causing parents to wash their wards school uniforms on daily basis due to the dirty nature of the floors.
On the issue of water, the Headmistress said although the School had a borehole, the low water table had plunged the school into a water crisis, compelling students to carry water from their various homes to fill a poly tank provided by the Church.
She said the school used to buy water from tankers with the PTA levy but currently that was not possible because the levy had been cancelled.
“The school now relies on the students to carry water from various sources from their homes to school and some of them, before they get to the school, they are already soaked and dirty,” Madam Kampelige said.
“We highly appreciate HOPE for Little Lives Foundation for coming to paint the school; I’m sure next academic year it will bring some kind of enthusiasm to both teachers and students; everybody wants a beautiful environment and the painting has made the environment very beautiful for us”, she further emphasized.
Madam Kampelige also thanked the Church for constructing a fence wall around the school, which according to her had improved security within the school.
Pastor Samuel Atoabi Yeboah, Head Pastor, Wa Presby Church, said that for the commitment of the Church towards the school, it would have collapsed as the government had shown very little commitment since taking over the school.
He said some of the old blocks had developed deep cracks and needed renovation and also appealed for another classroom block for the Upper Primary and also the completion of the uncompleted block for the KG.
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