AVREBO JHS GETS NEW CLASSROOM BLOCK (PAG 21, APRIL 9, 2010)

THE Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) has constructed a GH¢65,268.04 three-classroom block for the Avrebo Junior High School (JHS) in the Nzema East Municipality in the Western Region, furnished it and provided it with toilet facilities.
The new building replaces the old bamboo structure, which compelled some children of the village to walk a long distance to Dadwen, to attend school.
The project is the ninth school block that has been built and donated to communities in the company’s operational area since 2007.
Other beneficiary communities are Nsuaem, New Subri, Anibil, Onzeanye, Apemenim Number One, Duarohoro, Kedadwen and Chavene.
GREL’s decision to build the school block for the Avrebo community was driven by the company’s commitment to improve education in the communities in its operational area.
The Managing Director of the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited, Mr Marc Genot, who inaugurated the project, stated that education is the key to development.
Education, he said, eradicates ignorance and poverty and fosters knowledge and socio-economic well-being, adding that education was also the only way that a nation could renew its manpower needs for the future.
“For the children of Avrebo, this school must be a lasting treasure. They will no more attend classes in the old bamboo structure or walk to Dadwen to attend school”, he said.
Mr Genot expressed the hope that the classroom block would be well maintained so that 50 years from now, the structure would still stand.
He said since 2005, the company had offered scholarships to 49 brilliant, needy children in its operational area to pursue further education in second-cycle institutions.
Mr Genot said the company had been organising long vacation classes for more than 3,000 pupils in 22 communities in its operational area since 2006.
He added that the full cost of the vacation classes, covering learning materials, weekly snacks and payment for teachers, was borne entirely by the company.
The aims of the vacation school programme, he explained, were to assist the children to improve upon their academic performance and discourage them from roaming during the holidays.
The managing director assured the chiefs and people that GREL would continue promoting education to assist in the development of their manpower needs.
The Nzema East Municipal Director of Education, Mrs Marian Quansah, mentioned dilapidated school buildings, teachers refusing posting to the rural communities and poor road network as some of the challenges facing the directorate.
She, therefore, urged GREL to sustain the programme and extend it to other rural communities in the municipality.
The Tufuhene of Avrebo, Nana Andoh, commended the company for allowing the people to cut down some rubber trees to pave way for the extension of electricity to the town and also providing the town with 20 street bulbs.