PAST STUDENTS MUST HELP SUSTAIN QUALITY EDUCATION (PAGE 11)

STORY: TIM DZAMBOE

The role of past students of senior high schools has been amplified as one of the major ways to achieve sustained quality education for all generations.
It could help improve the physical and mental freedom to increase control over the resources of life and to build a high degree of self-reliance, confidence and awareness of opportunities of life.
A director of hydro division of the Volta River Authority, Mr Kirk Coffie, made these remarks when he addressed the 55th speech and prize-giving day of the Kpando Senior High School at the weekend.
He spoke on the theme: “Quality Secondary Education, the role of Old Students” and it was under the chairmanship of Dr T. M. Kwadzo, a lecturer and consultant at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Mr Coffie observed that education was a tool for democracy and political stability and noted that the only way to guarantee this was to streamline the levels of senior secondary schools to efficiently deliver quality education.
He said the role of old students, therefore, could not be overemphasised because they were the role models and mentors to the younger generation and could share their wisdom and experience in career development and partnership in the provision of vital facilities for the schools.
He, however, said students at the receiving end must apply themselves to serious learning habits, underpinned by a high sense of discipline in order to motivate past students to make the needed inflows for staff and student motivation.
In an address read on his behalf, the Headmaster of the school, Mr Geoffrey Bissi, said the school was a force to reckon with in academic performance and sports in the country.
Mr Bissi, who is currently in Sweden with a member of staff and four students of the school on an exchange programme, said the school scored 100 per cent in last year’s West Africa Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) with 205 out of the 294 students qualifying for admission to university and tertiary institutions.
He said the school had procured a new electricity generating plant to ensure uninterrupted power supply, adding that the old students association had also rehabilitated a hostel for students.
Mr Bissi appealed for urgent assistance for the construction of a three-unit classroom block to ease congestion in classrooms and also for more staff bungalows, since there were only 17 bungalows for the 52 members of staff.
In an address read on her behalf, the Member of Parliament for North Dayi, Ms Akua Dansua, said her dream for the school had come true with the visit of the headmaster, a staff and four students who are currently in Sweden on an exchange programme initiated by her.
She urged students above 18 years to register to vote in order to exercise their civic responsibilities in the next elections.
The Kpando District Chief Executive, Mr Pius Adanuty, said in an address read on his behalf that the school needed strong partnerships with parents, teachers and past students to deliver quality education and urged past students to offer guidance and counselling to younger ones to choose the right career paths.
The Chief of Kpando-Aloryi, Togbe Komla Teng V, congratulated final year students on their successful completion of study at the school and urged them to strive to greater heights.
Highlights of the occasion included a brilliant performance by the military cadet corps and the award of prizes to students, teachers and workers who had distinguished themselves in the past year.