By: Michael Kofi Kenetey and Abdul Rahman Yusif
The Ghana Senior High School, GHANASS, has marked its 80th Anniversary with a call on stakeholders to come to their aid to improve upon the infrastructural deficit of the school.
The Headmistress of the school who is also the Queen mother of Kordiabe in Shai Osudoku Traditional Area in the Greater Accra Region, Nana Naki Otutuabo made the call during the school’s 80th Anniversary Celebration in Koforidua the Eastern Regional capital.
The anniversary was also used to raise funds towards the construction of a four thousand capacity Assembly Hall for the school.
The Ghana Senior High school nicknamed the Beacon of the East was established in 1943 by Fred Addae and Francis Adjei Tetebo with 16 boys called Phoenix College in a temporary building. By 1950, an increase in students necessitated a new location which housed the Normal Technical Institute, Koforidua. The change in location brought in its wake a change in the school’s name from Phoenix College to Christ College.
The location of the premises changed again after some time to respond to the increasing student population. Thus, the school moved to Effiduase at its current premises from Effiduase Police Quarters in Koforidua.
In 1957, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah on a visit to the school requested a name change from Christ College to Ghana Secondary School.
The school now has a population of over two thousand three hundred students with a staff strength of about 80.
The Headmistress of the school, Nana Naki Otutuabo, an old student herself, noted that the school has chalked up successes in both academics and extra-curricular activities. She however mentioned some challenges confronting the school.
The Secretary General of the Ghana Commission of UNESCO, Ama Serwah Nerquaye -Tetteh speaking on the theme, “Eighty Years of Trailblazing Holistic Senior High School Education, Contribution of Stakeholders,” encouraged all stakeholders to come on board to provide inclusive education for all.
She urged the stakeholders to ensure that the girl child pursue the knowledge pathways such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, STEM education.
The Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru advised the students and Ghanaians in general to always have it in their minds that whatever they do, whether good or bad posterity will judge everyone according to their deeds.
The Senior Presidential Advisor to the President, Yaw Osafo-Maafo stated that there is a symbiotic relation between education and development, hence the government’s idea to reposition education for fast development of the country.
Mr. Osafo-Maafo assured the school that the government will take keen interest to help build the Assembly Hall for the school.
The Member of Parliament for New Juaben North Constituency, Nana Kwasi Adjei Boateng, and an old student noted that as they will continue to offer their support to the school.
He noted that though the Assembly and the Old Students have helped to provide desks for the school, there is the need to add more to meet the increasing number of the student population.
