Bono Region: Dust forces pupils to abandon classrooms

Pupils of Kuotokrom M/A “A” and “B” basic schools in the Sunyani Municipality are having difficulties concentrating in class as a result of dusts always emanating from the untarred Kuotokrom-Yawhima road near the school.

The situation is affecting effective classes.

Parents have stopped their children from attending classes for fear of acquiring an infection from the dust. They claim that the school’s location is contributing to their children’s upper respiratory ailments.

Even though the teachers were present on a visit to the schools, several pupils were absent when Asaase News visited the school.

At the time Asaase News arrived at the school premises, most of the pupils were out playing while others were also seen selling in the community.

The school officials refuse to grant an interview about the situation on campus.

The parents are appealing to the government to as a matter of urgency complete the Kotokrom-Yawhima road, which has become a health risk to their wards.

“Our children are falling sick because of the dusty nature of our road,” a parent told Asaase News. “You know the school is just by the roadside, so they inhale the dust when they are in school, we are appealing to the government to fix the road for us.”

“The reason we are not allowing our children to go to school is that, the dust emanating from the road to the school is not good for their health,” Jennifer Owusu, another parent said. “So, as parents and residents in Kuotokrom, we resolved that we will not allow our children to go to school and inhale the dust and fall sick.”

In June 2022, residents and motorists of New Dormaa-Kotokrom and Yawhima hit the streets to protest against the five-kilometer road which began in 2019 but had stalled for some time now.

Local officials were not ready to comment on the issue.