By Francis Kwabena Cofie
Akropong, Feb. 16, GNA – Okuapemman School of Akropong in the Eastern Region has held its 13th Founder’s Day with a call on stakeholders of the school to help preserve the legacy of the founder, Barrister Kwaku Opoku Akyeampong.
The former and present students at the school were also asked to be ambassadors of the good image of the institution, wherever they may find themselves.
Dr William Quarmine, a former student, who made the call at a Founder’s Day lecture said the school has produced illustrious and accomplished personalities scattered in the diaspora and were making their mark on the national and global fronts.
To this end, he said, it behoved all stakeholders of the school, particularly the community, past and present students to ensure that its legacy was sustained to be able to produce more of such distinguished personalities.
Dr Quarmine said it was time the stakeholders including the Okuapemman community met at a roundtable to fashion out modalities of raising the fortunes of the school, stating; “We must collectively ensure that the best products emanate from this school.”
He described the existing cordial school-community relations as critical to the school’s development and urged that the bonds of such relationship must be tightened going forward.
Dr Quarmine implored all citizens to contribute their quota to the preservation of the school’s legacy.
He proposed a GH¢500m endowment fund to support a 20-year development fund of the school while calling for a strategic planning committee to be set up to oversee the way forward.
Mr Ofosu Asamoah, the special guest and President of Okuapemman Past Students Association (OPSA) and the Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission, advised the current students to set academic targets to score better grades.
He admonished them to desist from all forms of anti-social behaviours which could derail their education and that they should make effective use of their stay in school to come out successfully as worthy products of a prestigious school.
Dademono Nana Takyi-Larbi, a representative of Okuapehene urged the management of the school to increase the number of traditional leaders on the board of the school to help address concerns of the institution.
He proposed the setting up of a traditional day in the school to enable students to learn from the rich culture and traditions of the area.
The 1994-year group announced their intention to renovate an old six-unit classroom block into a modern status to promote conducive teaching and learning to be completed by November this year.
Rev Richard Koranteng Afari, the Headmaster of the Okuapemman School in a welcoming address said the school was proud to be associated with the annual celebration of the illustrious founder.
He said since the inception of the school, the founder sought to serve the people of Akuapem, hence the name Okuapemman School.
According to him, the school cherished its relationship with the traditional state and that apart from Opoku Akyeampong House, all the other houses of residence for students were named after a particular past Akuapem Chief.
Rev. Afari said the school would redouble its efforts to ensure that the untarred road was fixed at the right time.
He expressed gratitude to the organizing committee and the sponsorship year group, the Adehye 1994 for planning the lecturer, which rotates among year groups.
Odehye John Dekyem Attafuah, the chair of the occasion in a closing remark called on the school’s authorities to put in all efforts to sustain the legacy of the Founder.
GNA