Nana Osei Tutu (5th L) with the headmaster, staff and some students of OKESS
The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School (OKESS) in Kumasi has presented 500 mono desks worth GH¢100,000 to the school to ease the burden on the authorities.
Presenting the items to the school last Friday, the Deputy Chairman of the PTA, Nana Osei Tutu — a former Assembly Member for the Atwima Yabi Electoral Area and Otumfuo Sikakua Nifahene — said the gesture was in response to the call and appeal made by the school to help address existing deficits.
He stated that the donation was also to demonstrate their support for the school for the role it plays in imparting knowledge to the students. He further disclosed that the PTA had previously supported the school in several ways, including repairing broken furniture.
Receiving the items, the Headmaster of the school, Mr. Frederick Keelson Aikins, commended the PTA executives for their benevolence, noting that the gesture would go a long way to enhance teaching and learning in the school.
“On behalf of the Board of Governors, management of the school, teachers, and students, I would like to thank the PTA for this wonderful gesture. It will go a long way to help us in teaching and learning. When you go to the classrooms, the place is almost virtually empty. We have a huge deficit of desks. How students sit to learn is even shameful to talk about. But this gesture will greatly help us. The students, including the staff, are very happy,” he said.
He further appealed for more support from old students, parents, and well-meaning individuals.
“We have over 2,000 first-year students, and the third-year students are over 1,500, so it is a huge challenge for us. We are appealing to everyone to come on board and support the school.
“We also have issues with beds in the dormitories. When you go there, students are sleeping on the floor, and so we are appealing to everybody to help. Government is doing a lot for Ghanaian students, and we must admit that it is a huge task. Government alone cannot do everything, so there is the need for all stakeholders to assist,” he added.
The Girls’ Prefect of the school, Armah Grace Naa Akweley, on behalf of the students, also commended the PTA for their gesture and appealed to old students and corporate bodies to support the school.
FROM David Afum, Kumasi