Eastern Regional Minister commissions Aduamoah Girls SHS with 10 pioneer students

The Kwahu area in the Eastern Region has welcomed its first public girls’ senior high school, with Aduamoah Girls’ Senior High School officially commissioned on Friday, October 9, 2026, with an initial enrolment of just 10 students.

Eastern Regional Minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey commissioned the school in the Kwahu East District, describing its establishment as the fulfilment of a long-standing vision to expand educational opportunities for young people, particularly girls in the area.

The school’s journey dates back to a private institution established by Madam Kate Abankwa, a native of Kwahu-Aduamoah. However, the school collapsed following the introduction of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, which significantly transformed Ghana’s secondary education system.

Its revival was made possible through a collaborative effort involving the chiefs and people of Kwahu-Aduamoah, the Abankwa family and the Ghana Education Service (GES). The institution has since received additional facilities and been absorbed by the government.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Mrs Awatey commended the stakeholders for their commitment and sustained efforts to restore the school, describing the development as a significant step towards improving education in the community and the wider Kwahu area.

She urged the school to equip students with the knowledge, skills and values needed to contribute meaningfully to national development, while prioritising Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), entrepreneurship and digital skills.

The minister also called on the Kwahu Traditional Council, the District Assembly, the Education Directorate and residents to take ownership of the institution and support its growth. She further charged teachers and school authorities to uphold academic excellence, discipline, innovation, leadership and integrity while helping students develop their individual talents.

Eastern Regional Director of Education, Dr Ivy Asantewaa Owusu, described girls’ education as fundamental to Ghana’s future, saying the new school represents the opportunities that can emerge when girls are given access to secondary education.

“Every classroom here is a future laboratory where life-saving discoveries will be made. Every desk is a future boardroom where groundbreaking decisions will be reached,” she said.

Dr Owusu stressed that educating girls has benefits beyond individual academic achievement, noting that educated women can help lift families out of poverty, improve public health, support vulnerable people and strengthen local economies.

She urged the 10 pioneer students to make the most of the opportunity and strive to overcome barriers in their academic and professional journeys.

“This school was built for you, but its true architecture will be defined by you. Do not measure your worth by the barriers you encounter, but by the barriers you break,” she told them.

The commissioning marks a new chapter in efforts to expand girls’ education in Kwahu, with the school expected to give more girls an opportunity to pursue secondary education closer to their communities.