Keta Senior High School (KETASCO) Clinic has seen a major refurbishment, undertaken by the school’s 1969/74 year group as part of celebrations marking the golden jubilee of their admission into the school half a century ago.
The work, worth over GHC40,000, brings to an end the practice of indisposed students sleeping on the bare floor, with basic treatment kits, pharmaceuticals and other facilities often unavailable.
Mr. Kwabla Sedziafa, the group Vice Chairman, leading some 22 members of the group, handed over the facility to the school authorities on Friday at Keta, in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region.
A new front door glass cabinet, eight beds, 20 pieces each of bedsheets and pillow cases, 10 pillows, a brand new refrigerator, desk and swivel chair for the resident nurse, ten plastic chairs for patients, new curtains and curtain rails were done or provided under the works.
The medical stockings, including thermometers, stethoscope, sphygmomanometer, drip stands, rapid malaria diagnostic test kits, disinfecting wipes, varied pain killers, anti malaria drugs, were also donated by members.
Mr. Sedziafa said when the thought of giving back to the school, which made them what they were, was muted, they visited the school and saw the unpleasant spectacle of student-patients lying on mattresses on the floor at the Clinic and so decided to pick that to ensure good healthcare.
Also donating additional 230 varied subject sets of books and two desktop computers as part of the support, he appealed for accountability at the Clinic as incentive for continuous support.
Mr. Sedziafa said the group, all now retirees, would also be considering supply of new refrigerators to the school cold store.
Reverend Dr. Sylvanus Elorm Amegashiti, group Chairman, in what was termed, ‘KETASCO as we met it’, reference admission experiences then, said 120 of them gained admission on September 26, 1969, meeting a fascinating environment, with fewer buildings, but sacrificial tutors.
He said despite their poor backgrounds, they were made lawyers, Doctors, security personnel and businessmen, telling the students, “be courageous, focused, and the school would mold you also, if you make yourself available and teachable”, he told the students.
The Headmaster, Charles Kobena Agbakey, himself an alumnus, lauded the group for keeping together and proving their love for the school 50 years on, posing a challenge to the current students and others to emulate.
He told the students they would also look young and strong 50 years after school as the 1969/74 if they also imbibed discipline.
Mr. Asiwome Agbenyega, KETASCO Board Chairman, who is also the school’s Old Students Association President, noting it was difficult getting old students back in support of their alma mata, commended the group.
Mr. Edmond Gbetodeme, a group member and also a former Keta Municipal Director of Education, said, “some of us came to learn how to put on foot wears for the first time, poverty was pervasive then, difficult having secondary education as parents could not afford”, he said.
He told the gathering, “the school environment is for you and there is a reward for you all, students, if you learn hard, teachers, if you teach well and the Administrators, if you govern the school well.”
The school nurse, Benedicta Drafor, promised to ensure accountability and maintenance at the facility to motivate and attract regular supplies, adding the Clinic previously lacked everything including bed sheets, drugs, testing kits and sick students slept on the bare floor.
