The Daffiama-Bussie-Issa (DBI) District in the Upper West Region celebrated a significant educational advancement on Friday, May 29, with the sod-cutting ceremony for its first Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Senior High School and the donation of 600 dual desks to local basic schools. Richard Anthounma Jakpa, Director for Special Operations at the National Security Council Secretariat, was instrumental in spearheading the STEM institution, a project described as the largest single government investment in the district.
Historic STEM High School Construction Underway
The establishment of the STEM Senior High School marks a pivotal moment for the Upper West Region, aiming to enhance access to quality science and technology education for the youth. The project, located in Issah, saw a strong community turnout, including a cultural performance by the Danzine Kulugri Group from Fian, demonstrating local enthusiasm and support.
James Wor, the District Chief Executive for DBI, highlighted the unprecedented financial scale of the STEM school. “The single largest investment any government has ever invested in the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District,” he stated, noting that construction commenced immediately after project award.
Project architect Micah Villa from ANQ Consortium Limited outlined the comprehensive design for the state-of-the-art campus. It will feature an 18-unit, three-storey classroom block, a two-storey science laboratory, a library and ICT hub, an administration block, and dormitory blocks. Additionally, five semi-detached teachers’ quarters are planned.
The official project timeline is set at 18 months. However, Jonah Forkah, Director of Contracts for the executing contractor, TMJ Ghana Limited, expressed confidence in completing the facility within a year, aiming to cut five to six months off the schedule. Four critical structures, including the classroom block and ICT library hub, have already surpassed foundation levels, with work progressing rapidly.
Mr. Forkah assured the community of the contractor’s commitment to using premium materials and adhering to the highest safety standards throughout the construction process. The Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozuing, urged residents to take ownership of the project and encouraged the contractor to prioritize local labor, thereby generating economic opportunities for the community.
Addressing Basic Education Furniture Deficit
In parallel to the STEM school initiative, Richard Jakpa partnered with Edward Benedict Mortey, Director of Geekrows Enterprise, to donate 600 dual desks to basic schools across the DBI District. This donation directly addresses a critical furniture shortage, with the District Director of Education, Pognaa Saadia Gbolo, reporting that 90% of schools in the district lack adequate furniture.
The lack of furniture severely impacts learning, forcing students into uncomfortable positions. “It is demoralising for students to lie on their bellies to write,” Madam Gbolo noted, expressing profound gratitude for the timely intervention. Hundreds of jubilant pupils witnessed the distribution of the desks.
The 600 dual desks were allocated to specific schools: Issah RC Primary (40), Issah RC JHS (115), Issah All Saints JHS (105), Issah All Saints Primary (80), Issah RC KG (50), Issah All Saints KG (50), Samambo RC Primary (40), and Samambo RC KG (20). Mr. Jakpa urged the students to care for the furniture to ensure its longevity.
Madam Saadia Gbolo pledged her directorate’s commitment to overseeing the maintenance of the donated furniture, ensuring its long-term usability.
Broader Development Vision for the Region
Beyond educational infrastructure, Mr. Jakpa articulated a wider vision for regional development, emphasizing the critical need for agricultural improvements. He advocated for the construction of irrigation dams to support dry-season farming, stating, “If we build dams for them. So they can do dry-season farming. It will reduce poverty. It will reduce migration.”
Mr. Jakpa challenged individuals in positions of influence to actively pursue developmental projects for their home regions, regardless of their official titles. “Whatever you can do, you can lobby. You don’t need to be an MP to lobby for projects. You don’t need to be a regional minister,” he asserted.
He urged professionals to leverage their influence within their institutions to pool resources for regional development, stating, “In our various individual capacities in various institutions that we find ourselves in and have influence over, let’s pool resources for our region. If we don’t do it, no one is going to do it for us.”
Critiquing the trend of individuals acquiring high-level appointments and remaining in the capital without reinvesting in their home regions, Mr. Jakpa called for a shift in approach. “This generation, we must begin to invest in strategic things that will move our communities in terms of generations unborn,” he concluded.
The successful launch of the STEM school project and the significant desk donation signal a promising future for education in the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District. The focus now shifts to the timely completion of the STEM facility and the sustained impact of improved learning conditions at the basic level, alongside the broader push for agricultural development and regional investment.
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