From left Lt. Gen. Obed Boamah Akwa, Sowah Odotei, Asher Ayisi, Danso Appau and Lt. Col. Zuneidu
THE ARMED Forces Senior High and Technical School has changed its name to the Forces Senior High and Technical School.
At the school’s third speech and prize giving day celebration in Accra last Saturday, the headmaster of the school, Lt. Col. Osman Sham-Un Zuneidu, said the move was effected to ensure the differentiation between their school and the Kumasi-based Armed Forces Senior High and Technical School.
He said after consultations with the board of governors and other stakeholders of the school, a consensus was reached to rename the school.
He added that the school currently accommodates about 1,538 students and 133 teaching and non-teaching staff, but it cannot boast of accommodation for staff. The school also has poor laboratories for both technical and vocational students.
Lt. Zuneidu further pleaded with the government to come to their aid since the school lacks enough facilities to ensure the smooth running of curricular activities.
Deputy Minister of Education, Barbara Asher Ayisi, who represented the Vice President as a guest of honor, commended the school for its recent improved performances in academics and sports.
She further stated that the Akufo-Addo – led government prioritizes technical and vocational education and would ensure the youth in Ghana get the zeal to enjoy technical and vocational education to become self-reliant after school. She also assured the school that its shortcomings were being resolved and that the rebranding of the school must help them achieve their goals.
“I urge the staff and all stakeholders to collectively hustle to put the name of the school in the prime status of technical and vocational institutions” the deputy minister said.
The guest speaker for the event and the director general for the Technical Examination Unit of the Ghana Education Service, Seth Danso Appau, also hammered on the low allocation of funds to technical and vocational education. He urged the government and other stakeholders to help upgrade the standards of technical and vocational schools to compete with the other schools.
In all, about 100 students, present and past members of staff were awarded for their excellence and various contributions to the development of the school.
The celebration which was under the theme “Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education as a Panacea for Underdevelopment” was graced by dignitaries such as Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Obed Boamah Akwa, Member of Parliament for La-Dadekotopon, Vincent Sowah Odotei and Col. Felicia Twum- Barimah, Director of Education (GHQ).
By Ebenezer Gyamerah & Ruth Ofori