Crumbling Start: Goat gives birth in classroom as Jinlo pupils learn in unsanitary conditions

A goat gave birth in a classroom over the weekend. On Monday, children found blood stains and droppings on the floor. The school has no desks or chairs. Kindergarten and Primary students sit directly on the dirty floor.

Abu Halilu, a teacher, said, "This is how the children sit – on the bare floor." He sometimes sits with them. Intruders break in and defecate inside despite locked doors. They have complained to the Assembly but received no response.

Another classroom smells of rat urine, feces, and rainwater. This makes it hard for teachers and students to breathe or concentrate.

The Junior High School (JHS) block is also in poor condition. Pupils learn under a makeshift shed with one whiteboard separating classes. When it rains, classes are suspended due to missing walls and roofing.

Ziblila Mohammad, Headteacher of Jinlo JHS, said, “When it rains, we close the school.” Noise from outside disrupts learning easily. Enrollment is dropping; only two pupils were promoted this year.

The school has three usable classrooms for eight classes. This forces multiple grade levels into one room, hurting education quality.

Abdul Rahaman Yakubu, Headteacher of the primary school, said they’ve had no renovations since 2000. High-profile visits have resulted in paperwork but no action.

Despite repeated appeals for help, local government has not responded effectively.

Abu Halilu stated that no Minister or MP would want their child here. However, these children have dreams too. If help doesn’t come soon, their future is at risk.

The situation at Jinlo highlights a broader crisis in rural Ghana's education system. JoyNews’ education series Crumbling Start raises urgent questions about forgotten pupils like those in Jinlo.

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