The Oti Regional Minister, Mr Daniel Machator, said the government was committed to providing relevant teaching and learning materials to second cycle institutions, including infrastructure and furniture to promote quality teaching and learning in schools.
Mr Machator stated that the Free Senior High School (FSHS) was one of the successful policies of the government, and it was important for Ghanaians to protect it in order for the country to derive its full benefit, which had the capacity of transforming the country.
The Oti Regional Minister said this in a speech read on behalf of Vice President and the Presidential Candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the 60th anniversary celebration of Nkonya Senior High School (NKOSEC) at Nkonya in the Biakoye District of the Oti Region over the weekend.
The 60th anniversary, which was on the theme: ‘ Fulfilling the Aspirations of the Founding Fathers ,’ was attended by chiefs, stakeholders from all walks of life and students, as the school cadet thrilled the audience to quick and slow march-pass which entertained the anniversary participants.
Moreover, Mr Machator continued that the free SHS did not only bridge the gap between the rich and the poor in gaining access to secondary education, but also provided equal opportunities to children to attain secondary education , which would accelerate growth and development of the country.
He was of the view that in the next ten years, 70 per cent of Ghanaian youths would complete SHS and university, which would pave the way for accelerated growth, since the majority of the population would be educated enough and much would be achieved, saying the future under the government of the NPP looked brighter.
Mr Machator, who is also the Acting Biakoye District Chief Executive (DCE), used the opportunity and cautioned the youth not to involve themselves in violent related activities, that would affect the peace before, during and after the 2024 general election and appealed to the chiefs of the region to educate their subjects to embrace peace, warning that anybody found perpetuating violence would be dealt with according to law.
The Biakoye District Director of Education, Ms Roselyn Kafui Ofori, commended the staff and management of NKOSEC for not only impacting academic knowledge but also nurtured thousands of Ghanaians for the past 60 years, who were serving in various capacities with integrity and discipline as she lauded the vision of the founding fathers.
Ms Ofori said the success of an educational institution did not depend on the number of students who passed through the school but the successes largely depended on the calibre of individuals produced, and stressed that NKOSEC had lived up to expectation over the years by providing holistic education.
The Headmaster of NKOSEC, Mr Moses Kwabena Ansah, noted that the school had performed creditably in academic and extracurricular activities which made majority of students to gain admission to tertiary institutions and contributing to national development, which he stressed became possible due to high level of discipline in the school.
Mr Ansah added that the free SHS had increased enrolment and appealed to the government to complete a dining hall complex project in the school and provide furniture for the 756 students of the school to address the current challenge faced in the dining hall.
FROM SAMUEL AGBEWODE, NKONYA