Saint Mary's Seminary SHS cry for help

Lolobi (V/R), July 15, GNA - Saint Mary's Seminary Senior High School at Lolobi in the Volta Region, is facing grave infrastructural and logistical problems, Reverend Father Edward Siffah, the Headmaster of the school has said.

He has, therefore, appealed to Government and other benevolent institutions to come to the aid of the school. Rev. Siffah, who made the appeal at the 48th Speech and Prize Giving Day of the School at the weekend, said the school as of now, "can only boast of a rickety 18 year old Nissan mini bus, a 27 year old Toyota Pickup and a 30-year old Bedford Truck".

The Day was under the theme: "Discipline, the basis for high academic achievement."

Rev Siffah said as a result of challenges, the school spent heavily to keep some of its three vehicles on the road for a week at best.

"The 18 unit classroom project, which was awarded on contract since 1998 has not been completed", he added. Rev. Siffah said the dormitory blocks put up by the Dutch Missionaries about 50 years ago, have never been renovated, whilst the administration of the school still operated in an old block.

Other problems, he mentioned, are lack of potable water supply and an Assembly Hall and said: "We call on the authorities with humility, to come to our aid."

Rev. Siffah said the school over the years had leaned heavily on the shoulders of its Parent-Teacher Association, the Bishop of the Ho Diocese of the Catholic Church, Bishop Lodonu and old boys to keep going.

He mentioned particularly Mr John Peter Amewu, the Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, a former student, for his assistance to the school. He said notwithstanding its problems, the school continued to maintain its high disciplinary and academic standards and noted that for three years, it had maintained a 100 percent pass in the West Africa School Certificate Examinations.

Meanwhile, Dr John Eleeza, Ho Municipal Director of Health and Dr Winfred Ofosu, Hohoe Municipal Director of Health, both old boys of the school, have instituted the Reverend Father Frankhisen William's Award for Best Science students in honour of the first Headmaster of the School.

"The SMASCAN", the school's magazine was also launched.