A woman who was found teaching children beneath the Atomic Junction overpass in Accra has explained that the initiative was intended to keep them away from street begging and provide them with an opportunity to learn.
The woman said the lessons were part of an informal effort to support children who spend much of their time on the streets around the busy junction. Her explanation has brought attention to the challenges facing street-connected children and efforts by individuals to provide them with educational support outside the formal school system.
According to her account, the initiative began when a man expressed interest in helping children who were living or begging around the area. The man reportedly needed someone who could speak Hausa to translate his lessons for the children, and the woman said she became involved after a friend connected her to him.
She explained that the children received GH¢5 each day as an incentive to attend the lessons. The arrangement was intended to encourage them to return regularly and participate in learning activities rather than spend their time begging from motorists and other members of the public.
The woman stressed that the activity was not designed to function as a formal school. Instead, it was an informal attempt to introduce the children to basic learning and encourage them to use their time productively.
The makeshift classroom attracted public attention on October 8, 2026, when a taskforce from the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly reportedly visited the area during an operation to remove unauthorised structures and clear hawkers around Atomic Junction.
Images and video from the location showed children seated at tables with exercise books, while whiteboards had been placed nearby for teaching purposes. The unusual setting prompted questions about the circumstances under which the lessons were being conducted and the safety of the children.
Atomic Junction is a busy transport and traffic area, making the use of space beneath an overpass for educational activities a potential concern. While the initiative was described as an effort to help vulnerable children, the location raises questions about their protection, exposure to traffic-related hazards and access to appropriate learning facilities.
The incident has also renewed attention to the broader challenges facing children who spend extended periods on the streets. For some, street begging may be connected to difficult family circumstances, limited access to education or other social and economic pressures.
Although informal initiatives can offer immediate support, sustainable interventions may require cooperation between community members, local authorities, schools and child-welfare organisations. Such collaboration could help identify the children’s needs and connect them with appropriate educational and social services.
Questions remain about the number of children involved in the lessons, the duration of the initiative, the source of the money used to pay them daily and whether arrangements have been made to help them access formal education.
The woman’s explanation has highlighted the intention behind the makeshift classroom, while the circumstances surrounding the operation have raised broader questions about how vulnerable children can be supported safely and effectively.
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Source: Thepressradio.com
