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80 modern educational facilities unveiled …for diverse needs of students nationwide

 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yester­day performed a sym­bolic inauguration of the newly refurbished Saint Barnabas Anglican Junior High School at Osu to begin the official opening of the over 80 ed­ucational infrastructure constructed by his government.

The exercise which was done simultaneously across the country also saw the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, also inaugu­rate the newly constructed Science Technology Engineering and Math­ematics (STEM) school at Kpesim­kpe in the North East Region.

Education Projects----President Akufo-Addo (second from left), unveiling the plaque to inaugurate the St. Barnabas School at Osu. With him is Nii Kwartei Titus Glover (right), Greater Accra Regional Minister
Education Projects—-President Akufo-Addo (second from left), unveiling the plaque to inaugurate the St. Barnabas School at Osu. With him is Nii Kwartei Titus Glover (right), Greater Accra Regional Minister

The projects formed part of the government’s efforts at improv­ing access to quality education and included a range of modern facilities designed to cater for the diverse needs of students across the country.

Inaugurating the school, Pres­ident Akufo-Addo said he was hopeful that every Ghanaian child would continue to have access to the resources and opportunities they deserved.

He noted the initiative covered a wide spectrum of educational needs, from basic schools to senior high schools and technical institu­tions.

Recounting the story of Saint Barnabas Anglican School, he said it was one that resonated deeply with his desires to see education become the centre of the country’s development.

President Akufo-Addo (right) speaking to one of the pupil fo the school
President Akufo-Addo (right) speaking to one of the pupil fo the school

“For over six decades, the school stood in the heart of Accra as a beacon of education. Yet, it suffered from neglect. The school has not seen any major renovation since its establishment on Novem­ber 1, 1961.

The classrooms were deteriorat­ed with broken windows, leaking roofs and learning spaces unfit for children,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo said the transformed St Barnabas School was now equipped with modern facilities designed to meet the de­mands of 21st century education.

He noted that St Barnabas School was not just classrooms with new paints and ceilings but also spaces of possibility, where dreams would be nurtured and talents discovered.

He said Ghanaian children deserved the best and encouraged parents, teachers and community leaders to ensure that they have the support they need to succeed.

The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Adutwum, said the gov­ernment had over performed in the education sector, stressing “There are similar events taking place across the 16 regions of the country.”

He said the government’s dedi­cation to modernising educational infrastructure and promoting aca­demic excellence was unmatched.

Dr Adutwum described the improvements in infrastructure as a cornerstone of the NPP’s vision for national development, stressing that “We cannot educate 21st-cen­tury students in 19th-century buildings and expect 21st-century outcomes, it is not going to work and you can see pictures of chil­dren who are excited about what change means here today.”

Comparing Ghana’s current tra­jectory with South Korea’s, he said it was the same approach of edu­cational transformation which had propelled South Korea’s remarkable economic transformation.

“The story of South Korea is fascinating. In 1960, our per capita income was higher than in South Korea but they did different things when they allowed secondary education to be extended to their people in the 1960s and 1970s. They did not stop there but they also embarked on STEM education in the 1970s.

We are 50 years behind, but at least we have begun, and definitely, the evidence available is going to tell the story of how the journey for STEM transformation began,” he emphasised.

 BY CLIFF EKUFUL

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