Dora International Memorial launches 25th Anniversary

The Founder of school, Mrs. Vida Dzobo (right), the former Moderator of E.P Church, the Very Rev. J.Y Ledo, and Madam Gladys Amenyah (2nd left), cutting the tape to signify the launch of the 25th Anniversary in Ho

The Volta Regional  Director of Education, Mr. Gabriel Kploanyi, has commended the activities of private schools in the region, for their efforts to complement the government in the provision of quality education, which he said, has been very useful in the training of the human resource base of the country.

Mr. Kploanyi noted that many private basic schools started in the region, but due to poor management of the institutions, most of the schools folded up, but some of them, like the Dora International Memorial School Complex, continued to distinguish itself in rendering quality education.

This was contained in a speech read on behalf of the Regional Director by the Volta Region The Supervisor of Basic Schools, Madam Gladys Amenyah, at the launch of the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Dora International Memorial School Complex in Ho. It had the theme 'Dora Memorial School at 25: Achievements and Prospects.'

Mr. Kploanyi commended the founder of the School, Mrs. Vida Dzobo, for her foresight in the establishment of the school, because it was a classical example of public private participation in national developmental activities, saying had it not been the establishment of the Dora International School Complex, the hundreds of children who had benefited from the school would not have the opportunity of having formal education.

He said he was satisfied with the activities of the school over the years, which had reflected in its academic performance, and pointed out that 25 years in the academic activities of a school like the Dora International Memorial School Complex should not only be seen as a time for merry making, but to take stock and plan for the future.

Mr. Kploanyi said much as the school continued to make strides in its activities, it was important that the teachers adopt modern teaching methods to improve upon teaching and learning, and urged pupils and students to learn hard in order to justify the investment their parents were making in them.

The Founder of the school, Mrs. Vida Dzobo, who is a psychologist by profession, taught for 34 years in various colleges of education and voluntarily retired from the Ghana Education Service (GES), said she decided to establish the school 25 years ago, because of the love she developed for children, and had a dream to help more children enjoy formal education.

Mrs. Dzobo pointed out that the provision of quality education over the years, as a private institution that comprises pre-school, primary, Junior High Schools (JHS) and Senior High School (SHS), has not been without difficulty, and commended the management of the school, including the staff, particularly the Coordinator of the School, Mr. Asafoatse Obeng Akyea, for their hard work and dedication to the development of the school.

Mrs. Dzobo lauded the support her late husband, Prof. Dzobo, had given her, because he shared with her the interest she had in child development, saying 'we believe that no child is useless, and this is what urged us on to start this school with just 11 pupils, but today, I am happy to see the school grow with a total population of 800 pupils and students,' she said.

Mrs. Dzobo, who even at her old age still demonstrated her love for her cherished area of studies, psychology, said she and the husband had enough criticisms, but 'a certain amount of criticism is of great use to a man, for these criticisms are silent reminders of what needs to be done.'

She disclosed that due to sound performance, the school admits students from 11 Africa countries, thereby making the institution maintain high standards not within the country alone, but also to meet international standards, which she stressed the school authorities would not compromise on.

A former Moderator of the EP Church, the Very Rev. J. Y Ledo, who chaired the function, stressed the need for parents to collaborate effectively with teachers to help promote teaching and learning in the school, and also urged old students to contribute meaningfully towards the development of the institution.