Celebrating Augusco

St. Augustine's College Administration Block

By virtue of my work in communications I do quite a bit of media monitoring, and given that this is an election year the demand for this service is even more pronounced. And to my delight one issue that is featuring quite prominently, albeit in a partisan and uncoordinated manner is that of education.

The national education goal as defined by the Ministry of Education (MoE) is to provide relevant education to all Ghanaians to make them functionally literate, productive and equip them with skills to make them competitive and capable of contributing to national development.

MoE has overall responsibility for education sector policy, planning and monitoring. Education delivery and implementation is devolved to institutions, districts and regions through its various agencies.

Of these, the Ghana Education service (GES) implements the Basic and Senior Secondary education components, including Technical and Vocational institutes.

Other agencies that cover the education sector are the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) and the Non-Formal Education Division (NFED); they have important sub-sectorial areas of responsibility regarding education delivery.

Article 38 of the 1992 Constitution requires the State to provide access to Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) and, depending on resource availability; this policy ought to be extended to Senior Secondary, Technical and Tertiary education and life-long learning.

In line with the above constitutional article, MoE's vision includes a programme for free and compulsory basic education. Read the various political party manifestos on education and make of them what you will.

The manifestos are screaming pledges, promises and intentions that I find very interesting and worth debating. As a nation we ought to objectively and dispassionately examine all the issues related to the subject, instead of indulging in the ongoing unhelpful point scoring. Some of the issues on the table are - free SHS, progressive SHS, elimination of schools under trees, provision of free school uniforms and laptops, school feeding, teacher training and continuous development among others.

The key SHS issues aside from the contentious matter of it being free now or in the future is – the need to de-emphasise pure academic courses in the curriculum and to promote the acquisition of vocational and technical skills; to promote the establishment of community Senior High Schools based in rural communities; to review the curriculum and link it up with courses in tertiary institutions and to emphasise the importance of science and technology.

My contribution on the subject today is just to emphasise the need for SHS authorities to be supported and encouraged in their work by alumni and stakeholders among others.

When it came to choosing a secondary school some thirty-eight years ago I wasted no time in picking St. Augustine's College, popularly known as Augusco. Those were the days of the common entrance examination, where pupils had to make three choices on the secondary school entry forms – first choice, second choice and the third choice which was a region.

For me it was Augusco or nothing! Not just because my grandfather Stephen Tonato Agbeko was among the founding fathers of the College or because my eighty-three year old father attended it. There is far more to it than that, I simply just fell in love with the Augusco after reading about it. Love at first sight it was for me. Would I do the same today? Yes, I would and you will soon find out why.

Augusco is dedicated to the continuing education and career development of students. As it was yesterday, so it is today and so shall it be tomorrow. I can't say same for the infrastructure and facilities though, and this is where the Alumni come in. More on that shortly.

Even our bitterest rivals publicly and privately acknowledge Augusco's rich tradition and pedigree.

Augusco was established as a teacher training institution and seminary at Amisano near Elmina in 1930 and is named after Aurelius Augustinus, Augustine of Hippo or Saint Augustine as he was known. He was one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity. St. Augustine was a priest, a bishop, a famous Catholic writer, founder of religious priests, and one of the greatest saints that ever lived. August 28th is celebrated as his feast day.

The College Flag is hoisted with a combination of two colours - green on top and white below. Green depicts the Catholic identity of the College and white its readiness to coexist with all other institutions of learning that share a common vision and mission. Augusco's Coat of Arms consists of a shield emblazoned with a white cross on a green field. Superimposed on the white cross is a lighted torch, flanked by a laurel of yellow olive branches.

'Omnia Vincit Labor' – Perseverance conquers all is the College motto.

I was in Cape-Coast last week with my classmate Ransford Botchway and made a brief stop-over at the College. We had a chat with the headmaster, Mr. Joseph Connel and used the occasion to cross check the school's 2012 WASSCE results. We had been hinted on facebook that Augusco had performed extremely well. And we were elated by what was put before us.

The college registered 419 students out which 417 sat for the exams. There were 2 absentees. Augusco posted a 100% pass rate out of which fifty nine (59) students had 8 A1s; seventy-three (73) got 7 A1s and ninety-nine obtained 6 A1s etc. The results are fantastic and we say kudos particularly to the headmaster and his three assistant headmasters - Mr. Kofi Appea-Takyi (Administration); Mr. Henry Arthur Gyan (Academic) and Mr. Joseph Kweku Denanyoh (Domestic). Congratulations also go to the rest of the team made up of the Governing Board, teaching staff, non-teaching staff and all the workers. APSU also shares in this enviable achievement.

ST. AUGUSTINE'S PAST STUDENTS' UNION (APSU)
APSU is an association of Augusco's Alumni. Its membership is open to individual Associates and Honorary Members who subscribe to the aims and objectives of the association or have demonstrated a genuine interest in the College and its activities over the years.

APSU's aims and objectives are: to promote and uphold the ideals for which the College was founded; to promote and enhance the School's welfare and progress; to liaise and maintain funds from which aid for the steady development of the College may be provided and to promote and encourage learning and high standards of education in the college and beyond.

Other Objectives are to maintain, promote, encourage and sustain the spirit of understanding, brotherliness, togetherness, mutual assistance, co-operation and solidarity amongst its members; to organise, sponsor and arrange symposia, seminars, workshops and talks to educate members, the college and the community on pertinent issues.

APSU's current executive committee is made up : Charles Kofi Bucknor, President; Emmanuel Kojo Dadson, Vice President; Julius Opoku-Agyei, Secretary; Kofi Adu-Poku, Assistant Secretary; Bernard Atta-Sonno, Treasurer; Isaac Esuantse, Assistant Treasurer; Eric Atta-Sonno, Organising Secretary; Kwasi Gyandoh Ansah, Assistant Organising Secretary and Bernard Acheampong, Porter.

Over the years APSU has embarked on numerous fund-raising activities in aid of Augusco. Some of the areas which the College has benefited from are the provision of a well-equipped computer centre, science laboratory equipment, library books, sports equipment and a school bus. Others are a vehicle for the headmaster, renovation and refurbishment of dormitories, classroom blocks and masters' bungalows and donation of prizes at the various Speech Days; this is mostly sponsored by individuals.

Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, the Presidential candidate of the Progressive People's Party (PPP), a distinguished Apsunian made a gargantuan pledge at the last Augusco Speech Day; he offered to build a modern dormitory for Augusco. I can confirm from the headmaster that the project has been initiated. Dr. Nduom we salute you for your generosity towards Augusco.

As somebody who has been involved in the activities of APSU for quite a while, I can confidently say that the likes of Dr. Nduom, Dr. Donkor Fordjour, Messrs Hackman Owusu Agyemang and Robert Adjaye are among the Apsunians who have contributed immensely to the College over the years.

In line with the tradition of the various year groups sponsoring the Speech and Prize Giving Days, 25 years after completing the college, it's now the turn of APSU 1988, led by its President, Kenneth Edem Ashigbey, and the Managing Director of Graphic Group Communications Ltd to sponsor the 83rd event.

It is slated for Saturday, March 16th, 2013 under the theme: “The Role of Boarding Schools in Achieving National Unity & Development”. The earmarked project involves rehabilitating the two blocks that straddle the College Administration Block.

One final thought. The 2012 WASSCE results is one good reason why all APSUNIAN's and stakeholders should come and support the Augusco Endowment Fund slated for Saturday, October 20th at the College Assembly Hall. The programme starts at 9am and will be chaired by Kenneth Ashigbey while the launch will be performed by Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere (APSU 70). For more information visit http://www.apsuworld.org or Email: [email protected]