By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
Nkonya Senior High School (SHS) has launched its 60th-anniversary celebrations with a call on the government to complete all abandoned projects especially the administration block in the school.
The management, staff, and students though commended the government for initiating the administration block project in the mix of the current economic challenges, they humbly appealed to authorities in charge of education to fast-track its completion.
Delivering the keynote address at the media launch at the Ghana International Press Centre in Accra on Thursday, September 19, 2024, a lecturer at the School of Public Health, University of Ghana, and an alumnus of the school, Prof. Francis Anto expressed excitement about the school’s impressive journey.
According to him, although the school has seen some remarkable face left, a lot more still needs to be done, and has, therefore, called on benevolent organisations to come to the aid of the school.
“Despite the numerous successes chalked and laurels received in academia and extracurricular activities, including sports, music, and cultural accomplishment, the sixty-year journey has not been easy. Currently, our Alma Mater has a good number of challenges that need urgent attention:
A pickup truck for administrative work, as it is too expensive now to continue using our 27-seater Hyundai bus for certain administrative work when a smaller vehicle could have been used at a lower cost, a well-resourced library for academic work, and a well-equipped science and ICT laboratories for efficient academic work.
Other are; furniture for both classroom and dining hall, dormitories, more students’ beds, as some students currently have no choice but to sleep on the floor due to lack of beds, a residential facility for staff, and a fence wall to provide security for students and also to prevent encroachment of the school’s land,” Prof. Anto enumerated
According to him, as old students they have given back to the school as it’s required of them and will continue to give back to their Alma Mater in many ways. In the past, the old students’ year groups helped improve the water supply system and washroom facilities, renovated the girls’ dormitory, and provided some learning and teaching materials.
Prof. Anto highlighted the importance of humility, diligence, discipline, organisation, determination, collaboration, and being prepared to seize opportunities when they arise.
He encouraged the students to challenge societal stereotypes and shared key principles he had learned during his time at the school.
Prof. Anto paid tribute to the founding fathers for their pioneering works and also expressed profound gratitude to the past and present staff of the school.
The Headmaster of NKOSEC, Mr. Moses Ansah, in his welcome address, also appealed to well-wishers and benevolent organisations to come to the aid of the school.
According to him, accommodation for staff has become a major challenge since the few bungalows built for staff in the sixties are no longer fit for purpose and is therefore, calling on the government, corporate Ghana, and individuals to come and support the school in that regard.
“We’re doing our utmost best to improve the fortunes of the school. When I took office, I signed a performance contract and I can boldly say that the future of the school and students are very bright and we are thus urging everyone to lend a helping hand,” he said.
The theme for the anniversary is: “NKOSEC @60 fulfilling the Aspirations of the Founding Fathers.”
The launch event featured the unveiling of the anniversary logo, cups, Polo shirts, and cloth, among others symbolising six decades of unwavering commitment to education, knowledge, holistic sports, and human development.
The 60th anniversary celebrations, according to the organizing committee, will begin on the 15th and end on the 17th of November, 2024.
NKOSEC was established on 18th November 1964, with a total enrolment of 20 students, made up of 17 males and three females coming from communities within the Nkonya Traditional Area. Currently, the school has a student population of 759 made up of 353 boys and 406 girls.
It runs six academic programmes which are; General Science, General Arts, Agricultural Science, Home Economics, Visual Arts, and Business. The sixty-year-old NKOSEC is among the three best SHS in the Oti region.
The 60th-anniversary launch brought together alumni, particularly and continued student groups, to celebrate various milestones chalked by the school.
