Be Committed To Educational Reform

Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama,is asking teachers to be diligent and committed to the educational reform programme introduced by the current government, to help ensure its success.

He said the government seriously acknowledged the contribution of teachers and educational workers towards the success of the reform and pledged to continue to explore new ways to motivate them to give off their best.

Vice-President Mahama made the call when he addressed the 70th anniversary and Speech and Prize-giving Day of Abuakwa State College (Abusco) at Kyebi in the Eastern Region at the weekend.

He said just like the government, students also expected their teachers to live beyond reproach and be humble, punctual, honest and devoted to duty.

ABUSCO was the first traditional and community-sponsored secondary school to be established in the Eastern Province of the then Gold Coast.

The college is the legacy of one of the famous traditional rulers of the country, the late Nana Sir Ofori Atta I, to Okyeman because it was conceived and born into the traditions of the Ofori Panin Dynasty, symbolised by the Okyeman emblem “Susubiribi”.

Alhaji Mahama said the government's model school project, under which one senior high school (SHS) in every district was to be upgraded, was on course and indicated that the commitment to upgrading ABUSCO into a model school was still on course.

Alhaji Mahama said a contract was soon to be awarded for the rehabilitation of the access roads within the school, while, in due course, other infrastructural needs, such as additional classrooms and an assembly hall, would be tackled.

He described the theme for the celebration of the 70th milestone of the college, “Abusco @70 - Consolidating traditional initiative in promoting quality education to face the challenges of the future”, as most appropriate.

“More often than not, we think of leadership only within the national political context. But we have other forms of leadership, stretching from the corporate world, traditional authorities to the spiritual realm,” he observed.

Advice To Students
Alhaji Mahama reminded students, who are the future leaders of the country, that “we are all partners in the difficult task of building Ghana into a great and prosperous nation”.

He called on them to work hard and model their lives after great leaders such as Nana Sir Ofori Atta I and other prominent personalities who had passed through the gates of the college.

Alhaji Mahama also asked parents to take a keen interest in the development of their children and not leave that on the shoulders of teachers.

“As parents, you have a moral duty to bring up your children well. The school and the home should play complementary roles in educating the child,” he pointe d out.

Nana Susubiribi Krobea Asante, a past President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, recounted the role that traditional rulers had played in the past and present to ensure that schools within their traditional areas were strong enough to educate the youth.

Nana, known in private life as Dr S.K.B. Asante, expressed the hope that Ghana would combine technological advancement with wholesome cultural identity, just as it was being done in countries such as Japan.

The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Ofosu Asamoah, for his part, praised the continuous improvement in the academic performance of the college and was hopeful that the authorities would continue to instil discipline in the students.

Story by Charles Benoni Okine
& Nana Konadu Agyemang