It was all joy for the chiefs and people of Sawuah, a small farming community in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti Region, when the Rotary Club of Kumasi, handed over a six-unit classroom block to the community.
The facility comes with a library stocked with books, micro flush toilets, computer laboratory, furniture and a solar panel.
Hitherto, children between the ages of two and nine in the community, were forced to attend classes in a church under the tutelage of a volunteer teacher, who only took canteen fees from the children.
Those who were old enough to walk had to travel five kilometres to attend school at a nearby Asakraka community.
The construction of the classroom facility has therefore come as a huge relief not only to the pupils, but the chiefs, parents and the entire members of the community.
Mr Derek Oware Nyarko, President of the Club, speaking at the ceremony said the project formed part of the core values of Rotary, which was to promote education to enhance literacy in communities, while helping to improve access to potable water and Sanitation in rural and deprived communities.
He appealed to the chiefs and the people of the Sawuah community and its environs to prioritize the education of their wards and ensure that the children were enrolled in the school to help achieve its purpose.
He was optimistic that the existence of the school in the community would help improve access to quality education and prevent school children from walking several Kilometers to access basic education
He again pleaded with the Atwima Nwaibiagya Municipal Assembly to collaborate with the Ghana Education Service and the leadership of the community to assume full ownership and control of the school.
The Project Director and International Service Chair of Rotary Club of Kumasi, Nana Effah Mensah, said the project which cost about $120,000 was in tune with the vision of the Rotary Club.
He said Bowman family from the USA paid to build the school whiles the micro-flush toilets, furniture’s, computers, solar lightning system, library books and others were funded by the Rotary Foundation, Virginia Rotary Clubs: Hampton Roads, Warren County, Roanoke Valley, Salem Rotaract Club at William & Mary and Lewisburg, West Virginia and the Rotary Club of Kumasi, Ghana.
Mr William Amoah Awuku, Chief Executive of the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipal Assembly, lauded the Club for coming to the aid of the community.
He said it was disheartening seeing children walking several kilometers to access education.
He was particularly excited about the installation of solar panels to power the computers and television since the village has no access to electricity.
Mr Awuku appealed to parents to make good use of the facility by sending their children to school.
He again assured that he would provide free school uniform for the children who would attend the school and see to it that teachers were posted to the school.
Last year, the Rotary Club of Kumasi handed over similar projects to the Hiamankyene Community in the Sekyere South District.
The school currently has a total population of 200 pupils.
GNA