Busuama MA Basic School in crisis: 120 KG pupils stranded as teacher deficit bites

The Busuama MA Basic School in the Kintampo North Municipality of Bono East Region is facing a severe crisis due to a significant shortage of teachers. This shortage is putting the educational future of over 120 pupils from the community and neighboring villages at risk. The school, which serves pupils from Kindergarten to Junior High School (JHS) level, currently operates with only six teachers.

This staffing crisis is evident in the distribution of staff, with three teachers responsible for Primary 1 to 6 and the remaining three managing JHS 1 to 3 classes. The Kindergarten, accommodating over 120 pupils, has no teacher assigned to it.

The headmaster, Nawang Moses, informed Joy News that the school's situation was not always so dire. Last academic year, the school had a staff of nine teachers. However, three teachers were transferred without replacements, leading to the current severe teacher deficit. The absence of a teacher in the Kindergarten level is particularly alarming, as the previous volunteer teacher has also left.

The teacher shortage extends beyond the Kindergarten. At the primary level, the three teachers are forced to adopt a rotation system to cover all six classes, undermining the quality of education. At the JHS level, the teachers are collectively responsible for teaching nine different subjects, a workload that is unsustainable and reflected in the school's declining academic performance.

The headmaster noted that this situation is taking a toll on the school's overall academic output, as teachers are overstretched and unable to provide the necessary attention to each class.

Furthermore, the school is lacking essential teaching and learning materials. The headmaster revealed that the Kindergarten is currently without chairs, adding another layer of challenge to the already overburdened educational environment.