The Member of Parliament for Akyem Swedru Constituency Eastern Region, Hon. Kennedy Osei Nyarko, has questioned why a school like Akim Swedru Senior High School (SWESCO) is still classified as a Category B school when it has all the facilities required to qualify as a Category A school.
According to the MP, the school has the infrastructure, quality teaching staff and academic performance to be upgraded to serve students in the Eastern Region and beyond.
“President Akufo-Addo’s Government was gracious to Akim Swedru Senior High and built a lot of infrastructure there, of which a few are yet to be completed,” Hon. Osei Nyarko said.
He argued that government should consider upgrading some of the schools in the Eastern Region that are performing so well to Category A status to increase access and quality education for the people.
“The school already has the infrastructure and the quality teaching staff, all it takes for the Government to do is to include the school as part of the Category A schools and complete the 2 number 12-unit storey building classroom blocks which are about 70% complete and create more access for new students,” he stated.
Hon. Kennedy Osei Nyarko further noted that government does not need to build 16 new SHS schools to address school placement challenges.
According to him, procurement and building new schools should not be the ultimate solution to the challenges facing the Free SHS placement system.
“Government doesn’t need to build any new 16 SHS schools. Procurement shouldn’t be the ultimate choice or solution to the school placement challenges,” he stressed.
The MP believes upgrading well-resourced and high-performing Category B schools like SWESCO into Category A will help decongest over-subscribed Category A schools, improve equity, and create more access for students within the Eastern Region.
Akim Swedru Senior High School has in recent years seen massive infrastructure development and improved academic performance, making it one of the most sought-after schools in the Birim South District and the Eastern Region as a whole.