11th Millennium City School Commissioned

The Mayor of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, has commissioned the 11th of the 104 Millennium City Schools in Abavana, in Accra. The objective of the project is to eradicate the aged-long shift-system among public schools within the nation's capital.

The 18-unit classroom block, which has offices for teachers, washrooms, library, computer and science laboratories, was not only to end the shift system, but also to make teaching and learning attractive for pupils of the school.

Commissioning the edifice, the AMA Mayor, Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije said the country came from an era where there were no new schools, no better infrastructure, over hundred students in a class and where over 95000 students were caught up in the shift system, but that as part of the Assembly's efforts to turn Accra into a millennium city, it has embarked on the construction of the Millennium City Schools to create an environment for quality education.

He also noted that, it was the policy of the government to invest more in education of its children, making them productive citizens.

"The government's policy of investing in our children, the youth and make them productive was just not a slogan, but a reality which comes with a strong commitment, which we are pursuing," he said.

The Mayor of Accra, who is also the President of the Global Alliance of Mayors and Leaders of Africa and from African descent, averred that government through the Assembly will provide infrastructure as well as learning and teaching materials to ensure quality teaching towards the development of the nation, adding that giving quality teaching to children will breed effective and efficient professionals for the future of Ghana.

He appealed to teachers to ensure that children use the facilities established in the school since that will open their horizon and expose them to modern ways of learning for them to be able to compete with others across the globe.

Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije also indicated that the leadership of Ghana must ensure the design of education it wants to pursue since, "if we want to achieve educational excellence, then it should be by design."

"....Achieving quality education for every child must continue to be our priority," he advised.

According to him, the provision of the modern facilities are in

fulfillment of government and the President's commitment to meeting the Better Ghana Agenda.

The school, he said, would provide the students with more access to education and eliminate the shift system in some parts of the region.

He appealed to other metropolis, municipal and district assemblies to take a leaf from the activities of the AMA in forging partnership with other organizations to provide educational infrastructure for their localities.

He also called on teachers and students of the school to step up their performance to justify the huge investment that has been made in providing the facility in the area.

The commissioning of the Abavana Cluster of school's millennium city block was the second in five days to be commissioned.

It would be recalled that few days ago, members of the Global Alliance of Mayors and Leaders of Africa and from Africa Descent joined President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and the Mayor of Accra, to commission the Okpoti School Complex buildings at Dansoman.

In a related development:

The Mayor, Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije also commissioned a state-of-the-art community library for the Dr F. V. Nanka Bruce School at Korle Gono in Accra.

There, he charged pupils to take full advantage of the facility to acquire knowledge and pursue academic excellence.

According to the Mayor, the commissioning of the library was the 8th to be inaugurated, describing it as a sacrifice that should not be wasted.

Dr Vanderpuije also pointed out that, the commissioning of the facility is the Assembly's commitment to make available best environment for learning, adding that reading is key to unlocking one's knowledge for success.

"If you want to succeed in your academic pursuits, then you must learn to read," he advised the pupils.

He also charged teachers to monitor students and institute scheduled classes of reading at the library.

The Mayor also called on pupils to have positive attitude towards their books.

"The AMA will provide staff to manage the library and ensure that the books in are handled with care," he said.