We Are Going Home: OLAPSA launches centenary ALUMNI celebration

The Old Students Association of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) College of Education (OLAPSA) Ghana’s premier Women’s educational training college, has officially launched activities marking the historic centenary anniversary of its alumni, setting the stage for a grand celebration and Millennium homecoming in December 2026.

The launch of the 100-year celebration was held on Saturday, 3 October 2026, at Christ The King Parish Hall in Accra on the theme “Retuning To Our Roots: Reminiscing 100 Years Of Excellence”.

It was organised by the Accra, Tema and Kasoa OLAPSA chapters.

HRM Nana Dansoa Amamaah, the Asamankese Kyidom Hemaa and a member of the OLAPSA 1998 Group, served as the Chairperson for the launch event.

She is also the Founder of the Naada 1 Foundation.

The milestone celebration in December is expected to bring together past and present students, tutors, staff, alumni, educationists, religious leaders, government representatives and other stakeholders to honour the remarkable journey of the institution and the contribution of its old students to Ghana’s educational development.

It will also provide an opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on the future of teacher education and the role OLA College of Education continues to play in preparing educators for Ghana’s changing educational environment.

In her welcome address, the OLAPSA Accra Chapter President, Lady Rosemond Asante Fosuhene, welcomed invited guests and old students to the OLAPSA Accra Zonal Centenary Homecoming Launch.

She said the launch marked the beginning of an exciting journey as old students prepare to celebrate the holistic training they received, cherished memories, enduring friendships and the strong bond that unites them as past students of OLA College of Education.

“On behalf of the Accra Chapter, I sincerely thank everyone who has made time to be here, as well as everyone who contributed in diverse ways towards the successful launch of this programme. As we launch this important programme, let us all embrace the spirit of unity, love and togetherness, and work collectively to ensure that the Centenary Homecoming becomes a truly memorable and successful celebration.”

Taking her turn to address the gathering, the Director of Education for the Tema West Municipality, Lady Mrs Sophia Ako, called for greater recognition of the contributions of past and present teaching and non-teaching staff who have played significant roles in building the legacy of OLA College of Education over the past century.

She said the 100-year journey of the ALUMNI could not be properly celebrated without acknowledging the sacrifices of the people who laid its foundation and contributed to its growth over the years.

According to Lady Mrs Ako, the contributions of those who were involved in the early construction and development of the institution must be remembered alongside the achievements of generations of teachers, administrators and students.

“A century of this level of consistency, impact and development must be acknowledged and celebrated. We must honour those who gathered the stones, carried the sand and contributed in diverse ways to the beginning of OLA,” she said.

She said the celebration presented a unique opportunity for the institution and its alumni to reflect on the journey of OLA while positioning the college for another century of meaningful contribution to education and national development.

“Celebrating one hundred years of teacher training provides a powerful platform to honour past achievements while strategically positioning the college for its next century of educational impact,” she stated.

Lady Mrs Ako urged the OLA family to use the centenary celebration as an opportunity to reconnect with the institution’s humble beginnings and appreciate the vision of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles.

She noted that when the sisters began training women as teachers in 1924, few could have predicted that the initiative would develop into an institution with such a significant influence on education in Ghana.

“Let this launch be the spark. Let Greater Accra show the way in organisation, fundraising and reconnecting every single year group from the 1960s to 2026,” she urged.

“To return to our roots is to remember where we came from. One hundred years ago, in 1924, when the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles took the step to train women as teachers, few could have imagined that this small seed would become the giant oak tree we are celebrating today,” she said.

She further urged educators to recognise their broader responsibility to society, stressing that teaching must go beyond classroom instruction.

“Beyond basic teaching and facilitation, the young ones entrusted into our care need more of our counsel and guidance to navigate through the complexities of this land.”

“Your unity across zones, including the Central Region, Ashanti, Greater Accra, Brong Ahafo and scattered across Ghana and the Diaspora, proves that OLA College of Education never leaves a lady behind,” she said.

Formerly known as OLA Training College, the institution traces its origins to 1924, when the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles established a modest teacher-training initiative at St Mary’s Convent School in Cape Coast.

The first batch of alumni was recorded in 1926, marking 100 years since the institution’s first graduates passed out.

With the backing of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles, Mother Acquiline began training Ghanaian girls who had completed their middle-school education at OLA Girls Senior High School in Ho.

Over the years, OLA College of Education has adapted its programmes to respond to the changing educational needs of Ghana.

From 1926 to 1960, the College operated as a two-year Certificate ‘B’ teacher-training institution. In 1960, it introduced a four-year Certificate ‘A’ programme, alongside a two-year post-Certificate ‘B’ programme designed to upgrade teachers to Certificate ‘A’ level.

The institution continued to evolve in response to national educational reforms. Between 1968 and 1973, it was tasked with running a specialist Home Economics programme to prepare teachers for the country’s emerging experimental junior secondary schools.

These successive reforms have helped position OLA College of Education within Ghana’s evolving teacher education landscape.