The Headteacher of Aboabo No. 2 R/C KG and Primary School in the Dormaa Central Municipality of the Bono Region, Mr. Rexford Korang, has expressed grave concern over the health and safety of pupils and staff due to the school’s close proximity to the Aboabo Cemetery.
According to Mr. Korang, the situation is significantly disrupting teaching and learning while exposing both learners and teachers to potential health hazards, particularly during the rainy season.
Speaking to an Accra News reporter, he explained that heavy rains worsen the situation, as strong odours from the cemetery become unbearable, negatively affecting the health and general well-being of both pupils and teachers.
Mr. Korang further revealed that members of the community frequently use the school compound as a thoroughfare to the cemetery during burial activities, sometimes during instructional hours. He noted that this practice distracts pupils and creates fear and panic, especially when caskets are carried through the school premises.
The headteacher is therefore appealing to local authorities and relevant stakeholders to urgently intervene. He suggested options such as relocating either the cemetery or the school, or alternatively constructing a fence around the school to prevent it from being used as a passageway to the cemetery.
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He also called for regular fumigation exercises at the cemetery to help reduce the offensive odour.
Mr. Korang stressed that beyond the disruption to academic work, prolonged exposure to the odour could have serious long-term health implications for both pupils and staff.
Some teachers at the school have also described the situation as hazardous. They indicated that odours from damaged tombs become particularly intense during the rainy season, sometimes leading to illness among kindergarten and lower primary pupils whose classrooms are closest to the cemetery.
According to the teachers, a recent burial activity reportedly caused a kindergarten pupil to collapse, while several others lost concentration during lessons due to the disturbance.
Pupils who spoke about the situation expressed frustration over the challenges they face because of the cemetery’s location. They appealed to traditional authorities and relevant government agencies to either relocate the cemetery or the school, or construct a protective fence around the school to reduce health risks and minimize the disruption caused by burial activities.
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