The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Abirem Constituency, Charles Asuako Owiredu, has distributed 43 motorized lawn mowers and slashers to basic and senior high schools (SHSs) across the district.

The initiative aims to eliminate the practice of students missing class to clear overgrown grounds, allowing them to focus on their studies in a clean, safe learning environment. 

The equipment was presented to schools serving 43 communities and institutions throughout the Birim North District. Among the key beneficiaries are St. Michael's Senior High School, Amoana Praso Senior High School, and basic schools across Amoana Praso, Nwinso, Domeabra, New Abirem, Afosu, Noyem, and Akoase, alongside 34 other school sites.

According to Mr Owiredu, the intervention was designed specifically to protect valuable instructional time and ensure children remain inside the classroom during school hours.

"Our primary focus must always be on keeping children in the classroom during lesson hours. We cannot allow our pupils to spend critical instructional time doing heavy physical labor to clear overgrown bushes when they should be learning. By providing these motorized mowers, we are ensuring that school compounds are kept clean and safe without sacrificing the educational future of our students," he said.

Receiving the items on behalf of the beneficiary schools, the Birim North District Director of Education, Solomon Azubilla, expressed deep appreciation to the lawmaker for addressing a persistent operational challenge.

Mr Azubilla highlighted that overgrown vegetation on school compounds creates severe safety hazards for both students and teaching staff. He noted that untamed brush frequently harbors dangerous reptiles, including venomous snakes, and acts as a breeding ground for harmful insects. Keeping the surroundings clean will protect students from health risks while restoring lost focus to academic work.

"We are extremely grateful to the MP for this timely donation. Overgrown school compounds have been a serious issue, not only taking away precious study time but also posing real health hazards by hiding dangerous reptiles and pests. I assure the constituency that we will institute strict maintenance measures so that this equipment remains operational and serves our schools for years to come," he said.