By Benjamin A. Commey
Accra, Aug 11, GNA- Services Primary and Junior High School from Burma Camp, is the winner of the 2022 National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) Smart Governors quiz competition for basic schools in the La Dadekotopon Municipality.
The school saw off competition from the defending regional champions, Osu Home JHS in what appeared to be a keenly contested competition.
Services JHS amassed 50 points at the end of a three-round competition to emerge winners, two points more than their closest contenders, Osu Home who polled 48 points to come first runners-up.
The 2019 winners, Association Community Model Basic School had 40 points to come second runners-up, while La Wireless1 JHS came fourth with 27 points.
St Pauls JHS and 5BN had 26 and 24 points respectively to come fifth and sixth.
The competition focused on the 1992 Constitution, local governance and LaDMA by-laws.
All contestants and matrons received certificates, copies of the 1992 Constitution and books while the first to third placed schools received plaques in addition.
In all, 35 basic schools from six circuits namely; Manle-Dada, Emmaus, Airport Rangoon, Adobetor, Adjetey and Arakan circuits, competed in this year’s competition.
The Annual competition sought to engage pupils and help them to appreciate the relevance of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
The competition, which mainly targeted the youth, was also to instill in them a sense of civic duty for national growth and development, while also promoting active citizenship among students and enable them to participate in sustaining Ghana’s democracy.
Mr Emmanuel Mettle, Municipal Director of NCCE in LaDMA, in his address, said the Commission introduced the competition as a way of demystifying the constitution.
“Sometimes, when you talk about the constitution, people begin to look at lawyers, parliamentarians and big men who are supposed to know. But then, if we introduce the constitution at our schools and we get students to have an appreciation and awareness about the constitution, it demystifies that and enable them become good citizens,” he said.
Mr Mettle added that through the competition, the youth would be abreast with the functions of the various organs of government, as well as local governance.
The municipality is currently the defending champions of the regional NCCE Constitution quiz competition.
Mr Mettle attributed this success to the commitment and seriousness schools within the municipality attached to the competition.
He appealed to corporate organisations and philanthropists for support to enable the Commission to sustain the competition.
Madam Habiba Kotoman, Director of Education, LaDMA, described the competition as a laudable one which would imbibe in the young citizens a sense of patriotism.
“This programme is a laudable one because, as we always say, it is important to catch them young and imbibe in them good and patriotic principles so that when they grow they won’t depart from it,” she said.
She cautioned Services JHS against complacency following their victory, but put in more efforts to ensure they defend the title in the coming year.
The Director of Education also urged the winners to prepare adequately to ensure that the Municipality retained the regional title it won last year.
The 2022 competition was held on the theme: “Sustaining Our Democracy: Ghanaians Values in Practice.”
GNA