Discipline, Christian Values; Hallmark Of Nandom SHS

The Nandom Senior High School in the Upper West Region, has not recorded any student riot, disturbance and strike  since its establishment 40 years ago. The headmaster, Rev. Brother Nicholas Zumanaa, disclosed this when he addressed the school's 40th anniversary celebration and attributed the achievement to strict observance of discipline and christian values by the students.

The theme for the anniversary was, 'Nandom Senior High School, the cradle of excellence in the era of the new education reform and the way forward'.

Rev Bro Zumanaa said the school would continue to instil into the children christian values, quality education and self-discipline in order to maintain high standards of education.

“Holistic development of the youth would remain the school's prime objective,” he stressed.

Rev. Bro. Zumanaa said the school presented 237 candidates last year for the 2008 West African Senior School Certificate examination, out which 187 passed in all eight subjects; 36 had passes in seven subjects, six had passes in six subjects and only one had passes in five subjects.

He said that 80.1 per cent of the students qualified for admission into tertiary institutions.

In an address read on his behalf, President John Evans  Mills expressed his administration's commitment to bridge the gap between urban and rural schools through the provision of the needed infrastructure and equipment, and the motivation of teachers to enable the rural children to develop their full potentials.

He described as unfortunate, the categorisation of schools in the country as endowed and less endowed saying, “Every effort would be made to improve educational facilities in the less endowed schools which are often found at the rural community areas to give rural children equal opportunity to study”.

President Mills noted that the wealth of a nation depended on the skills and knowledge of its citizens attained through a sound educational  foundation and promised to ensure that every child is provided education at the basic level.

He said “education is a dependable tool in strategic planning and development and Atta Mills-led administration would work hard to improve education at all levels”.

President Mills appealed to old boys and Parent- Teacher  Associations (PTAs) to assist in schools development since the government cannot do it all alone.

He commended the initiative, wisdom and foresight of the Catholic Church for the establishment of the schools to serve the educational needs of the rural deprived.

The Deputy Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Michele Bierkens, pledged his country's commitment to support policies and programmes that would help bridge the educational gap between the north and the south.

He expressed the Netherlands government's willingness to provide resources to support the School Feeding programme, efforts at reducing malaria, malnutrition, maternity and child mortality and guinea worm.