KRASEC marks 40th anniversary in style

The Krachi Senior High School in the Krachi West District of the Volta Region climaxed its 40th anniversary celebration with a well-attended durbar at the school over the weekend.

The durbar was attended by current and old students of the school, dignitaries as well as the chiefs and people of the Krachi Traditional Area, including Nana Asetena Mensah I, the Baamuhene of the Krachi Traditional Area, through whose instrumentality as a Member of Parliament (MP) of the area the school was established.

“I thank God to be alive to see this day. I'm very proud of the school,” Nana Asetena Mensah said.

The Volta Regional Minister, Mr Henry Ford Kamel, told the students and old students that they had the cause to celebrate because KRASEC had paid its dues.

“When it comes to writing the history of [Ghana's] human resource base, you're definitely part of it,” he said.

Mr Kamel said products of the school, such as Mr Yaw Donkor, the director of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI); Lt Col Albert Dawohoso, commanding officer of the Second Infantry Battalion of the Ghana Armed Forces, as well as Justice Erasmus Gyinae, a high court judge, should inspire the current crop of students to excel since they were better placed in terms of resources and opportunities.

The headmaster of KRASEC, Mr M.K. Titi, said the school's performance in the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) has improved with 2011 being one of the best in the history of the school.

He, however, said the school faced challenges such as inadequate staff and accommodation.

Serious congestion in the dormitories have compelled the school to turn some classrooms into dormitories for girls, he said, and called for the continuation of projects abandoned when the school was chosen to benefit from the Model School Project during the New Patriotic Party administration.

The guest speaker, Mr Perry Ofosu, said the anniversary should be used as a period to review the school's activities and plan for the future.

Mr Ofosu, who is an assistant registrar and lecturer at the School of Allied Health Sciences of the University of Ghana, is an old student of the school.

He called on the students to shun attitudes that hindered their academic performance.

“Just learn to say no to negative peer pressures put on you by your colleagues and you will succeed. If you stand by your beliefs, you stand the chance of becoming a good student and growing to become a responsible citizen, and thereby enhancing your economic and social lives,” he said.

Krachi Senior High School (KRASEC) was established in September 1971 under the headship of Mr R.S.K. Tsitsiku. The school was founded following persistent requests by the Krachi community for a secondary school. The then chief of the area, the Late Nana Obridjow II, and Nana Asetena Mensah I, the then MP for the area, were instrumental in the establishment of the school.

The first batch of 61 students completed in 1975. The excellent performance of the school at WAEC exams (GCE O Level) attracted students from across the country to KRASEC.

In 1979, however, the school suffered a great setback when some students staged a violent demonstration and attacked the headmaster, Mr Gedzeve, who was seriously assaulted, became unconscious and was rushed to the hospital.

Today, KRASEC has a population of 1,631, with a teaching staff of 57 and non-teaching staff of 56.