Schools asked to seek support of stakeholders

Tema, Feb. 15, GNA - Our Lady of Mercy (OLAM) Senior High School (SHS) in Tema, on Saturday celebrated its 10th anniversary with a call on educational institutions to seek support of stakeholders in their communities for rapid development of schools. Mr. Fosuaba Banahene, Administrator of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND), who made the call, noted that schools that depended solely on their resources could not develop. He said educational institutions should make efforts to complement assistance from the GETFUND, since government alone could not improve schools.

Mr Banahene advised authorities of OLAM to seek assistance from industries in Tema towards the development of the school. He urged teachers to upgrade their knowledge and skills to enable them to effectively train school children so that they would be able to contribute significantly to national development in the future. Mr Banahene advised students to respect authority, study hard and avoid speaking of Pidgin English, which he said could affect the academic performance.

Most Reverend Charles Gabriel Palmer Buckle, Accra Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop, advised students against social vices and rather take advantage of facilities and develop their talents to brighten their future.

In an address read on her behalf, Mrs Victoria Opoku, Tema Metropolitan Director of Education, asked students to obey school rules and regulations.

Mrs Roberta Mary Appau, headmistress, said the school which started with nine teachers, 157 students now has a student population of 630 offering general arts/science, business and vocational subjects. Nii Adjei Kraku the II, Chief of Tema, urged parents to visit schools regularly to monitor the conduct of their children and to create congenial atmosphere for them to study at home. Nii Kraku donated a cow, crates of soft drinks worth GH¢1,000.00 to the school and Prizes were given to students who excelled in various subjects. The event also used to mark the school's speech and prize-giving day, was being observed under the theme "ten years of educational partnership, prospects and challenges".