Breman Asikuma, Central Region, Ghana – The Breman Asikuma Senior High School (BASS) has embarked on an innovative aquaculture project and vegetable cultivation initiative. This project, boasting a capacity for 2,400 fish and extensive vegetable farming, is designed to provide nutritious meals to students and enhance the teaching and learning of agricultural science.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Headmistress of the school, the initiative is part of a broader strategy termed ‘homegrown solution to home problems.’ This strategy aligns with the school’s 60th-anniversary celebrations set for 2024. Baah-Odoom spoke to the Ghana News Agency about the project’s development and its alignment with educational goals for both agricultural and non-agricultural students.
The headmistress commended various organizations and stakeholders for their support in this endeavor, including the Ministry of Fisheries and Aqua Culture Development, Blue Skies Company, alumni, staff, the Methodist Church, and the Ghana Education Service. Their contributions have been crucial in advancing the project, which currently includes four fishponds each measuring 20 × 15 meters and awaiting fingerlings.
In addition to aquaculture, the school has utilized its large acreage of arable land for cultivating staples to feed students and the public, as well as producing livestock feed. This approach is not only aimed at internal revenue generation but also contributes to the school’s self-sufficiency.
Ms. Baah-Odoom highlighted the importance of embedding agriculture in the school curriculum, considering agriculture as the mainstay of Ghana’s economy. She emphasized the shift in the country’s food system from quantity to diet quality and health benefits. Despite its importance, agriculture often suffers from an image problem, being perceived as an inferior or non-academic profession. The headmistress encouraged a change in this perception, citing the limitless potential for students combining agricultural education with a passion for sustainable living.
While celebrating the school’s growth from six students at its inception to a current population of 2,811, including 1,526 girls, Baah-Odoom also acknowledged several challenges. The school faces issues such as inadequate security personnel, staff accommodation, dormitory space, insufficient sanitation facilities, an incomplete fence wall, and a lack of a comprehensive library for students and staff.