Seventh-Day Adventist SHS holds Speech and Prize Giving Day

The Asokore-Koforidua Seventh-Day Adventist Senior High School in the New Juaben Municipality of the Eastern Region, notwithstanding its numerous challenges, has held its first Speech and Prize Giving Day, since its establishment ten years ago.

The ceremony, which was on the theme '10 years of Academic Excellence Adventist Heritage, Faith and Vision,' was heavily attended by ministers of state, the clergy, traditional rulers, academicians, and people from the various professional backgrounds.

Addressing the packed gathering, the Acting Headmaster of the school, Mr. Francis Kobina Kra-Mensah, said the first Speech and Prize Giving Day and 10 years anniversary of the school was not an accident.

Taking a cursory look into the background of the school, the Acting Headmaster mentioned that the ceremony was a clear indication that like most schools, the beginning of his outfit had not been rosy.

According to him, the school was established in the year 2000/2001, as a private day and boarding school with about 280 boys and girls, with support from the then West Africa Union of the SDA Church, the Municipal Assembly, the then SDA Training College, and some philanthropists from the USA.

The school, now with a student population of 1,048, offers four academic programmes, namely General Arts, Business Accounting, Home Economics, and Visual Arts.

He stated that the students have the chance to select programmes that would help them develop their talents and skills, leading to facilitating their pursuit of their various careers.

Mr. Kra-Mensah stressed that until he was appointed in September 2010 to take over the administration of the school, challenges had nearly swallowed the school, but per God's divine intervention, and support from staff and students, the result leaves much to be desired.

A good school they say is recognized by its excellent academic achievements and high caliber of The Acting Headmaster continued that the efforts of all and sundry to hold the programme was a manifestation of the paramount interest the school placed on academic work.

The academic performance of the students has been improving steadily over the years since 2001.

In 2001, for instance, all 130 candidates presented for the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination passed in two or more subjects, giving the school an 88 percent pass.

In what could be described as sense of patriotism, the school, with a staff strength of 80, made up of 42 teaching and 38 non-teaching, are not placed on the payroll, but contribute immensely towards the development of the country for the love of it.

Despite the huge sacrificial work, luck and favour have become enemies to staff of the school, as most of them have no accommodation, and have to trek a long distance to school every day, since they are living in a rented premises far outside the school.

Notwithstanding these successes chalked by the school, it is saddled with a multiplicity of problems, ranging from infrastructure deficit, inadequate classrooms, and science laboratory, forcing the school to share facilities with the SDA College of Education.