Mr. Joseph Atsu Homadzi, Assistant Headmaster of Akropong School for the Blind in the Eastern Region, said the school has assisted some blind persons who might have ended up on the streets as beggars to become productive.

He said many of the students have acquired knowledge and skills from the educational institution, propelling them to become professionals such as lawyers and teachers.

The Assistant Headmaster said despite these achievements, the school, which was built in 1945 and currently with students\’ population of 355, was facing problems making it difficult for it to achieve its vision and mission.

Mr Homadzi, who is a former student of the school, appealed to individuals and organisations to help the school to acquire teaching and learning materials, vehicles, computers and infrastructure for effective academic work.

He made the request when he received a joint donation of curtains, food items, furniture and fridges costing about 8,000 Ghana cedis on behalf of the school, from the Ladies Associations of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL).

Mr Homadzi said the roof of the school\’s dormitory leaks and any time it rained the rooms were flooded and the students became stranded.

He said: \”Just imagine a group of blind students whose rooms are flooded and are finding it difficult to get a place to lay their heads.\”

Mr Homadzi appealed to government to motivate teachers of the school to enable them to give off their best.

He said: \”The work teachers here do is purely sacrificial. If they are not well motivated, they may leave us and it is not easy to get people who are willing to dedicate their lives to a school like ours.\”

Mr Homadzi expressed worry that the responsibility allowance for teachers of the school was inadequate coupled with accommodation problem, and said out of the 50 teachers only 20 were staying at the school.

The Assistant Headmaster said the students had prospects, stressing: \”I am a past student of this school and I hold my second degree. There are several past students who are professionals including lawyers and teachers.\”

Mrs. Anita Adjei Nmashie, President of the GCAA Ladies\’ Cclub, who presented the items together with Mrs. Gloria Osei, President of the GACL Ladies\’ Club, said the donation, was a follow up to an earlier needs assessment of the school by the two groups.

Mrs Adjei appealed to individuals and organisations to support the school and said: \”the greatest achievement in life is to reach out to the needy.\”

Accra, March 18, GNA –