Hazardous School Location Threaten Students’ Safety

 Parents of pupils at Dorothy Cooper Kindergarten and Elementary School in Gbarnga have demanded government urgent intervention in relocating a school near an unsafe environment.
For that, parents have accused education authorities, and the county administration of failing to address the “dangerous conditions threatening the safety, and wellbeing of the students.”

The parents said, the school has been allowed to operate in an environment considered to be increasingly unsafe, raising serious questions about government’s responsibility to provide children with secure, and conducive places to learn.

One of their biggest concerns is the busy main road pupils must cross to reach the school campus.

Some of the parents claimed that there is little, or no effective traffic control, or protection for young children, leaving them exposed to motorcycles, and vehicles moving through the area.

They said, some children have reportedly been involved in road accidents, with injuries, and alleged deaths linked to the dangers around the school.

These claims have not been independently verified.

For some of the parents, however, the continued presence of the school in a hazardous location represents an unacceptable risk that authorities should no longer ignore.

The concerns extend beyond the road as parents also point to the nearby Jor River, which they said, becomes particularly dangerous during the rainy season when flooding affects the surrounding area. They are further worried that the school compound is not adequately fenced, potentially exposing pupils to additional risks.

The learning environment itself is also under scrutiny. Parents complained that noise from nearby wood workshops regularly interferes with classroom activities, making concentration difficult for pupils, and teachers.

The combination of road traffic, flooding, inadequate fencing, and persistent noise has prompted parents to question why the school remains in its current location despite their “years of concern.”

They have therefore, called on the Ministry of Education, and the Bong County Administration to conduct an immediate assessment of the facility, and relocate the school before the next academic year.