Meet Samuel Donkor: Teacher handling 12 classes alone at Kakpeni School

In a quiet community in Ghana, education continues under extremely challenging conditions where one dedicated teacher is forced to do the work of many.

At the Kakpeni District Assembly Primary and Junior High School, learning has become a test of resilience, both for pupils and their teacher, as severe staff shortages and infrastructure gaps push the school to its limits.

Education has become a daily battle of endurance and sacrifice for Samuel Donkor, the only professionally trained government teacher handling an entire basic school alone.

Every morning before lessons begin, Donkor prepares to teach pupils from Kindergarten to Junior High School at the Kakpeni District Assembly Primary and Junior High Schools. For more than three years, he has single-handedly managed teaching and administrative duties for about 448 pupils while also serving as headteacher.

According to a report by Graphic Online, Donkor receives occasional assistance from two community volunteers, but their support remains inconsistent due to limited motivation and personal obligations.

With severe staff shortages, several classes have been merged to keep academic activities running. Kindergarten pupils through to Basic Three share one classroom, while Basic Four and Five are also combined. Only Basic Six operates separately because of its unique syllabus requirements.

On most days, Donkor rotates between classrooms, teaching English, Mathematics, Science and Ghanaian Language across multiple levels. The demanding arrangement has reportedly affected the quality of teaching and learning, with many pupils struggling to fully understand lessons.

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“I do what I can, but I know it is not enough. These children deserve more,” Donkor told Graphic Online.

He explained that juggling multiple classes at once creates learning gaps, as pupils often forget lessons before he is able to return to them.

The situation becomes even more difficult whenever he travels outside the community for official assignments, as academic work at the school virtually comes to a standstill in his absence.

Beyond the shortage of teachers, the school also faces serious infrastructure challenges. Some junior high school students study under trees because there are not enough classrooms, exposing them to harsh weather conditions that frequently interrupt lessons.

The school also lacks adequate furniture and teaching materials, further affecting learning outcomes.

Donkor revealed that travelling for official duties is itself a dangerous task, often requiring canoe rides across a river without life jackets, especially during the rainy season. He recounted surviving a canoe accident after a boat he boarded capsized.

“As we speak, most of my time is spent in the school and community, with little attention to my family and personal life,” he said.

Despite the hardship, residents and colleagues have nicknamed him “One Man Contractor” because of his extraordinary dedication to keeping the school operational.

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Some pupils say the lack of teachers has weakened their understanding of basic literacy and numeracy, particularly among final-year students preparing for the 2026 BECE.

“There are more days without lessons than days we are taught,” one pupil reportedly said.

Parents and community members are now calling on the government, the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to urgently deploy more teachers to the school.

Residents say they are ready to support and accommodate newly posted teachers to encourage them to remain in the community.

They are also advocating for the school to be included in the School Feeding Programme to improve enrolment and student retention.

Meanwhile, the Kpandai District Education Directorate has acknowledged the challenge and confirmed that two additional teachers have been posted to the school and are expected to report soon.

Education stakeholders, however, warn that unless long-term interventions are implemented, rural schools like Kakpeni will continue to face severe inequalities in access to quality education.