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The chiefs and people of Avatime-Gbadzeme in the Ho West District of the Volta Region have commissioned a newly refurbished Junior High School (JHS) block.
The new block would ease the burden of long travel for students.
The commissioning will also lay the groundwork for converting the old school site into a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution.
The commissioning ceremony, held on Saturday, in Gbadzeme, formed part of activities marking the 2025 Youth Easter Celebration in the community.
The newly commissioned JHS block, situated at the Avatime-Gbadzeme Primary School compound, is expected to complete the Basic School structure and improve access to quality education for students in the area.
Previously, the JHS operated from the old site known as the “Girls’ School,” established in the 1940s as a Middle School exclusively for girls, with boarding facilities.
The school, located about two miles from the main town, had long posed accessibility challenges, especially for younger pupils transitioning from primary school.
In his address at the commissioning, Okusie Okoforobour Agyemang VII, Chief of Avatime-Gbadzeme, said the relocation of the JHS was necessary, but emphasised the strategic importance of the old site.
“I will not allow the JHS students to move into this new block until we receive a firm commitment that the old site will be converted into a TVET institution,” he said.
He explained that allowing the old structure to remain unused would lead to its deterioration.
He therefore proposed that the space be repurposed to establish a TVET school, noting the absence of such a facility in the immediate vicinity, despite existing senior high and technical schools in Avatime-Vane and Amedzofe.
In response, Prof. Mrs. Smile Gavua Dzisi, Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in charge of Managerial Services, who commissioned the facility, assured the community that discussions were already underway to convert the old Girls’ School into a specialized TVET institution.
“TVET is the bedrock of economic transformation and has been the backbone of development in many Asian countries. It is also a key priority of President John Dramani Mahama,” she noted.
Prof. Dzisi added that plans are being considered to create a TVET institution specialized in Tourism or Hospitality, leveraging the unique cultural and ecological assets of the Avatime area.
She said such a center could attract not only students from other regions but also from neighboring countries.
The newly refurbished JHS block was made possible through the philanthropy of Mrs. Evelyn Borbor Odame Asante, a native of Avatime-Gbadzeme residing in the United Kingdom.
Mrs. Asante, known for her passion for education, personally funded the renovation of the new classroom block to provide a conducive learning environment for students.
The community expressed profound gratitude to both Mrs. Asante and Prof. Dzisi, reaffirming their readiness to support the proposed TVET project and any other educational advancement that will benefit the youth of Avatime-Gbadzeme and its surroundings.
“Education is our priority. We are ready to welcome the TVET institution and partner government and stakeholders to make it a reality,” a community elder noted during the event.
Source: GNA
