By James K. Madakena, GNA
Accra, Oct. 27, GNA – West Africa Senior High School (WASS) has celebrated its 80th Speech and Prize Giving Day with a call on students to be visionary, resilience and ensure that they accomplish their educational dreams.
Speaking as the Guest of Honour, Professor Ransford Gyampo, the Chief Executive Officer of Shippers Authority, said Ghana needed educated people with integrity to assist with the growth and development of the nation.
The Speech Day on the theme: “Re-remembering our Legacies for Nation Building” brought together both past and current students, members of the Parent and Teachers Association and friends of the school.
Prof. Gyampo, also an old student, noted that the core values of the school included dedication, integrity, self-discipline, hard work, teamwork, tolerance, respect, excellence, and perseverance among others.
He said the school, which begun in 1946 with 8 students at Accra Newtown, was relocated to Adenta in 1987. The school with students’ population of over 3,000.
Over the decades, WASS has expanded its curriculum, facilities, and student population, evolving into a major mixed day/boarding public senior high school in the Greater Accra Region.
The school has a mission to discover the diverse abilities of the students, expose and nurture them for life through classroom experiences, field trips, mentoring and coaching, and directing them to the diverse opportunities open to them.
Prof. Gyampo urged the old students to assist the school in mentoring the students, providing them with internship opportunities and reminded them to also freely donate books, computers and other laboratory equipment to assist with the growth of the school.
The Headmaster of the School, Mr. Isaac Nyarko Arthur said WASS had spent eight decades shaping the minds, building character and contributing to national development.
He said the student population stood at 3,438 comprising 1,139 boys and 2,299 girls, supported by 187 teaching staff and 44 non-teaching staff.
He said the school run courses like General Arts, General Science, Visual Arts, Business, Home Economics and Agriculture.
Mr. Nyarko Arthur explained that the school continued to promote academic excellence, discipline, leadership, innovation, and participation in academic, cultural and sporting activities.
He enumerated his major achievements including improvement in teaching and learning, and students’ welfare. Extra classes, mock examinations and teacher mentorship to strengthen academic preparation.
The headmaster said the school had funding constraints, inadequate infrastructure, logistical challenges, ageing facilities and the need for improved ICT resources, abandoned teachers’ bungalows.
He noted that his priorities included the construction of modern girls’ dormitory, completion of the assembly hall, upgrading of the ICT facilities, laboratories, and acquiring a new school bus.
The School Prefect, Mr Edric Kwabena-Sika-William acknowledged past students who have made the school great and mentioned some of the challenges such as; inadequate classrooms which made teaching difficult, and shortage of water on campus slowing daily routines.
Deserving students were awarded for excellence in their examinations, while teachers and non-teaching staff who have distinguished themselves were also awarded.
The school’s cadet corps entertained both visitors and students with an impressive parade foot drills accompanied by a marching band comprising students from WASS and PRESEC Legon.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei