CONSTRAINTS FACTORS TO MAINTENANCE OF GOVERNMENT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN WA MUNICIPAL

Abstract

A number of people see government senior high school buildings maintenance as an avoidable task, fragmented and uncoordinated which contributes little to the built environment. Maintenance of public senior high school buildings ensure sustainable management of state property which brings about improve utilization of buildings. However, there seems to be paucity of studies on constraints factors to maintenance of public buildings in general and public senior high school buildings in the Wa Municipal in particular. This research seeks to bridge this knowledge gap by appraising the constraints factors to maintenance of public senior high schools’ buildings in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region of Ghana. Study methods include the use of questionnaire, interview guides, focus group discussion guide and observation checklist for data analysis. A total of 393 respondents (197 students, 140 teachers and 56 school management) who took part in this study were purposively selected. The study found out that lack of coordination between authorities responsible, lack of funds from government, poor maintenance culture, embezzlement of funds on the part of management via the inflation of maintenance costs, frequent shortage of maintenance materials, users’ attitude and the persistent breakdown of building components through students indiscipline are the constraints factors to public SHS buildings maintenance in the Wa Municipality. The study recommended that there should be corporation between GES, school management and the Assembly (Department of Works and Housing) in the Wa Municipality to ensure good maintenance of their senior high school buildings. 

Keywords: Constraints Factors, Maintenance, Building Maintenance, Public Senior High School Buildings, Wa Municipal.