Accra, Jan. 23, GNA – Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education has called on Old Student Associations to initiate projects that will enhance effective teaching and learning for their Alma Mater.
He said for a nation to be developed, there was the need for the people to support the government in its efforts of providing quality education for all Ghanaians.
Dr Adutwum, who is also a Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, made the call in an address on his behalf at the 25th Anniversary celebration of the 1996 A-Level Year Group of the Labone Senior High School (LOSA 96 A-Level) in Accra on Sunday.
It was on the theme ‘Harmonious Relationship with Old Students Association—A Critical Factor in the Provision of Quality Education in Ghana’’.
Dr Adutwum said in the technological age, a fundamental function of quality education was important to produce a knowledge-based work-force for national development.
He said if the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Four on quality education was to be achieved, availability of quality human and material resources for increased productivity was critical.
‘It is with this background that the Nana Akufo-Addo led government has greatly prioritized education in his regime’, Dr Adutwum said.
He said with the introduction of Free SHS and the inventive curriculum in Literacy, Numeracy, Information Technology, and an enhancement of E-Learning and the introduction of Science, Technology, English and Mathematics (STEM) Academies to boost STEM education in Ghana, it had become clear that government alone could not meet the demands for supply of education materials hence the need for stakeholder participation.
‘I strongly believe that it is never out of place for past students of senior high schools who were privileged to have been educated and groomed by such institutions and are now in the position to support their alma mater to endeavour to do in a bid to complement government’s efforts at providing infrastructure in our senior high schools’’, the Minister said.
Dr Adutwum said the contributions of old students association was crucial inn Ghana’s educational system in the development of infrastructure, provision of books and other items and the organization of events that would improve the institutions.
He said old students equally served as role models through visitation to the school and school events to interact with the students and encourage them to take their studies seriously.
‘At any point in time, projects selected by Old Students to be executed should feed into the overall projects and programmes endorsed by School managements.
Dr Adutwum appealed to Management of Senior High Schools not to see Old Students as rivals or competitors, but consider them as key partners and collaborators in the Schools administration.
Mrs Cynthia Ntim, Headmistress of the school, commended the association for their efforts at providing the school with infrastructural developments.
She appealed to other Year Groups to follow the shining examples of LOSA 1996 by contributing meaningfully to the enhancement of quality education in the school.
Mr Mighty Gbeve President of LOSA 1996 said the Year Group had renovated the Girls Dormitory, washrooms and had also donated 50 pieces of ceiling fans and two polytanks to the school at the cost of Ghc65,000 to enhance effective teaching and learning.
He charged the students to take their studies seriously to achieve their future aspirations.
Mr Joshua Akrong, President of the Labone Senior High School Old Students Association commended the year groups for their contributions to the development of the school and pledged the association’s commitment to support in the infrastructural development in coming years.
GNA