BAKER HUGHES SUPPORTS SCHOOL OF THE DEAF (PAGE 23, DEC 19)

Barker Hughes, an oilfield service company operating in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis, has embarked on an educational support drive at the Sekondi School for the Deaf.
The company painted the dormitory block, changed the worn-out mosquito nets and presented 106 double beds and more than 300 mattresses, bed sheets and pillows to the school.
The company is also fixing the broken and weak louvre blades and frames in all windows of the school.
According to the headmaster, Mr Osei Bonsu Kuntoh, the school, which heavily depended on the Government, lacked many facilities to create the needed environment for the children to learn.
“But due to the pressure on the Government where every institution is trying to take their share, it becomes very difficult for them to improve their facilities,” he said.
Therefore, with support from corporate bodies and philanthropists, life at the school would become a little bearable for the students.
He said the support from Baker Hughes had changed the face of the school, because for many years various structures had deteriorated and had not seen paint for a long time.
The beds and mattresses, he said, were weak and very uncomfortable for the children to sleep on and that the new supplies would bring great relief to them.
He said the school had a computer lab without computers for students to undertake their practical lessons.
“We need bungalows for our staff, most of whom are currently not accommodated on campus. The teachers have to compete with others in various communities for accommodation and commute daily to and from the school,” he said.
He expressed gratitude to the company for the support.
He said apart from the dormitory and the bed and mattresses, the classroom block also needed attention.
“We are also appealing to other companies to come to the aid of the school,” he concluded.
The Head of Human Resource, Naa Mildred Wulff, said the company was in the country to stay, and therefore it was very important to support the needs of the underprivileged and the deprived within the communities in which it operated.
She said the company deemed it important to start its community support programme with the vulnerable in society.
“We understand that we cannot employ everybody in our communities but we also believe that everybody should in one way or the other benefit from the oil find,” she said.
Naa Wulff said aside the presentation, the company was also considering other areas where they could support the school.