The Paga Youth Movement (PAYOM) has appealed to the Ministry of Education and other relevant stakeholders to upgrade Paga Senior High School (Paga SHS) from a day school to a fully operational boarding institution.
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Monday, June 9, PAYOM’s President Wenawome Aborah emphasized the urgent need for transformation, stating that the school’s current status poses numerous challenges for both students and parents.
“We call on the government to absorb our SHS into the boarding system. We know our MP is lobbying for that, and we hope it is done very soon,” Aborah said.
He further highlighted the plight of female students, revealing that the school’s girls’ dormitory destroyed by fire in 2021, has yet to be renovated.
“Our school’s girls’ dormitory, which was burned in 2021, has not seen any help from the government. We are calling on the education minister to look into that as well,” he added.
Desmond Abire, the association’s Public Relations Officer, echoed the President’s concerns and pointed to the correlation between the school’s day status and its dwindling enrollment.
“Year by year, the student population keeps decreasing, and it’s largely because of the day-school status. These students need at least two or three meals a day to be active learners,” Abire explained.
PAYOM argues that upgrading the Paga SHS to a boarding school would not only improve enrollment figures but also enhance academic performance by providing students with a more stable and supportive learning environment.
The Paga Youth Movement is a grassroots advocacy group dedicated to the social and economic advancement of Paga, a town in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region. Since its founding, PAYOM has been at the forefront of several major community initiatives, including lobbying for the creation of the Kassena-Nankana West District in 2007 and advocating for the establishment of Paga SHS.
The association is now calling on government agencies, private stakeholders, and philanthropic individuals to support efforts to improve infrastructure and educational access in the area.
Mike 105.3 FM | Navrongo | Alexander Bombande
