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Ghana’s School Sanitation Crisis: 6 in 10 Basic and Secondary Schools Lack Toilets and Water

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A new performance audit by Ghana’s Auditor-General has unveiled a deeply troubling reality: 60% of basic and secondary schools across the country lack access to toilets and running water, placing students’ health, dignity, and education at risk.

 

The nationwide audit highlights a critical gap in Ghana’s progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which commits countries to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” by 2030. With just five years remaining, Ghana is far from meeting this target.

 

According to the 2025 performance audit, only 2 in every 5 schools have functional toilet and urinal facilities with running water. This means thousands of public schools are operating below the minimum sanitation standards.

 

The situation is even more dire when measured against local legal requirements. The Pre-Tertiary Education Act (2020) mandates at least one toilet cubicle for every 50 students. Yet, an alarming 87% of schools do not meet this standard. At Tamale Islamic Science Senior High School, 4,591 students share a single KVIP toilet with just two squat holes. In Kumasi’s State Experimental 1 M/A Basic School, 169 students depend on just one toilet.

 

This crisis is more than an infrastructure failure—it is a public health emergency. Poor sanitation is causing students, especially girls, to miss school during menstruation, face health risks from infections, or resort to unsafe open defecation. In Tamale, some girls have reported using bushes or public toilets when school facilities are locked due to water shortages.

 

This is not a new problem. In 2010, the Ministry of Education rolled out a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) initiative under the Education Strategic Plan (ESP 2010–2020), aiming to equip 75% of basic schools with sanitation infrastructure by 2020. That goal has not been met.

 

The audit attributes part of the failure to poor planning and misplaced priorities. In many cases, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) focus on building classrooms while neglecting sanitation needs. Some schools have water closet toilets that remain locked due to water shortages, while others have donor-funded toilet blocks that sit unused for years because they were never properly handed over.

 

Even in schools where toilets exist, maintenance is often neglected. The audit found disturbing conditions: faeces on floors, broken flushing systems, discarded sanitary pads, and filthy urinals. Cleaning schedules are not enforced, and many schools have never received basic cleaning materials.

 

This crisis forces children to make a heartbreaking choice—between attending school and preserving their dignity. For too many Ghanaian students, particularly girls, school has become a place of discomfort and risk instead of safety and growth.

 

Without urgent action, Ghana risks leaving a generation of students behind—not just academically, but in their most basic right to hygiene and human dignity.

Education

“I’m Not Dead” — Paa George Breaks Silence on Recurring Death Hoax

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Veteran Ghanaian actor Paa George has dismissed rumours circulating on social media claiming that he has died, describing the reports as false and malicious.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on Max FM’s Drive time show with Kumi Kasa, the seasoned actor revealed that he first heard about the alleged death from a friend who called him early in the morning to confirm the news.

According to Paa George, the caller repeatedly mentioned his name to ensure he was truly speaking to him.

“It was early in the morning that someone called me, and he mentioned my name, ‘Paa’, and I answered. He called my name again, and I responded. He asked, ‘Paa, is that you?’ I said yes and asked if he was okay,” he recounted.

The friend then informed him that social media platforms were awash with reports claiming he was dead.

“I asked what was going on, and he said it was all over social media that I am dead,” the actor stated.

Paa George expressed frustration over what he described as the third false death announcement about him. He indicated that such rumours have been intentionally spread over a long period, largely because he has chosen not to confront those behind them.

“I told them they are all sick. This is the third time they are announcing that I’m dead. They do that because I don’t confront them,” he said.

While acknowledging that death is inevitable for everyone, the veteran actor said he was pained by the repeated false reports about his demise.

“Everyone is going to die; however, I’m in pain because it is not yet my time. So if you wish death for me, death will come for you,” he added.

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Education

President Mahama Assures Teachers of Freedom to Speak Without Intimidation

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President John Dramani Mahama has assured teachers and school administrators across the country that under his leadership, they will be free to express concerns about the education sector without fear of victimisation or intimidation.

Speaking at the 54th National Delegates Conference of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) in Accra on Monday 5th January, 2026, President Mahama said Ghana’s education system can only progress through openness, accountability and dialogue — not silence and repression.

He noted that in recent years, some heads of schools had been sanctioned or transferred for publicly highlighting challenges faced in their institutions, a development he described as unhealthy for national education growth.

“We have emerged from a dark period of oppression in our educational sector,” Mahama said.

“Many school heads were sacked or transferred for speaking up when things were not going well.”

He stressed that critical feedback from professionals on the ground is essential, and government must listen rather than silence those entrusted with the responsibility of shaping young minds.

“The best way to grow our education sector is through transparency, freedom of speech and even criticism where necessary,” he stated.

President Mahama assured GNAT delegates that teachers will not be punished for honesty under his administration.

“As President, I can assure you that I will protect your right to speak up and to point out when things are not going well,”

he pledged.

He said the partnership between government and teachers must be built on trust, mutual respect and open engagement, adding that teachers are key stakeholders in national development.

GNAT delegates welcomed the assurance, describing it as an important commitment toward promoting professionalism and restoring confidence within the education workforce.

President Mahama’s message formed part of a broader call for renewed collaboration between government, teachers and labour unions to strengthen Ghana’s education system.

 

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Education

Amenfi Central District Assembly Commissions Six-Unit Classroom Block at Manso Nkwanta No. 2/Guabase

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The Amenfi Central District Assembly is pleased to announce the successful commissioning of a newly constructed Six-Unit Classroom Block at Manso Nkwanta No. 2/Guabase, generously funded by the Government and People of Japan.

The commissioning ceremony, held on Wednesday at Manso Nkwanta No.2/ Guabase, 10th December 2025, was graced by the District Chief Executive, Hon. Peter Amponsah, the District Coordinating Director, the District Education Director, the District Staff and the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Hiroshi Yoshimoto.

 

This important project, delivered under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects, stands as a symbol of the strong friendship and growing cooperation between Japan and Ghana. It also reflects a shared commitment to improving access to quality education.

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