835 million cedis for projects at Adisadel College

Cape Coast, March 11, GNA- The government, has so far provided an amount of 835 million cedis for the renovation of facilities including the renovation of science laboratories and kitchen, at the Adisadel College.

So far, 97 percent of the work has been completed, while the GETFund has also approved the construction of a 12-unit classroom block, for the school.

Major-General Richardson Baiden, Commissioner of Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), who announced these at the 96th speech and prize-giving day of the College, on Saturday, reiterated that such projects augured well for equipping the youth for the 21st century. The day was under the theme: "academic excellence through discipline"

Maj-Gen. Baiden, who is an old boy of the college, said, "Adisadel was unquestionably an icon in the educational history of Ghana", and urged all old students to be proud of its accomplishment. According to him, the college occupied a special place in the country and this has enabled it to become a "major beneficiary of the government's schools improvement programme".

He, in this regard, stressed the need for all stakeholders, such as teachers, parents and past and present students to work together to continually improve the quality of learning in the school, so as to make the students "more and more competitive".

He commended the teachers for their sacrifice and unflinching devotion to duty and for the welfare of the students, which he said, had uplifted the image of the "college academically and in terms of discipline over the years".

Maj-Gen. Baiden, advised the students to be obedient and serious with their studies, stressing that there was no substitute for hard work and determination, and that the sacrifices they made today would lay the foundation for success tomorrow.

Dr. Fiifi Mensah, a lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), and PTA chairman at the college, was happy that discipline in the college had improved.

He said the PTA, has initiated the construction of four blocks of eight flats estimated at 1.6 billion cedis to help solve the accommodation problem facing tutors of the school, and that the association has so far contributed 100 million cedis towards the project.

Dr Mensah said last year, the PTA undertook the renovation of two instead of five teacher's bungalows as intended due to financial constraints, at a cost of 13 million cedis, and appealed for support. Mr Herbert Graham, headmaster of the college, in his report, was happy that the school's results at the SSSCE, has been improving each year and that of the 507 candidates presented for the examinations last year, 438 passed in six to eight subjects, indicating that 87 percent could "conveniently" gain admission into tertiary institutions. He stated that their best results were seven A's and one B, and that it was the aim of the school to ensure that it obtained 100 percent passes in all subjects.

On extra curricula activities, Mr Graham said the college was first in both the regional and southern zone quiz competition organised by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and placed second in the competition at the national level.

He expressed gratitude to the 1981 year group for sponsoring this year's speech day, as well as all those, who have in diverse ways helped to improve teaching and learning in the school.

Mr Prince Buabeng, Chief Executive Officer of the Unique Trust Financial Services, and also an old student launched the college's 2.5 million dollars centenary project, which, among others, comprised a multi-purpose resource centre, computer laboratory and a library complex.

In a related development, another old boy, Mr Kennedy Agyepong, MP for Assin North, pledged to construct a library for the school at a cost

of one billion cedis within a three- year period, and provided an initial amount of 100 million cedis for commencement of work. He, in addition, presented two million cedis to Mr Paa Kojo, a retired labourer of the school, who had served the school for 40 years. An appeal for funds for the PTA yielded 50 million cedis in pledges.