The Juaben Senior High School (JUASS) Old Students Association, rebuilt their alma mater’s dining hall at a cost of GH¢500,000 to provide current students with a suitable and comfortable place to eat.
The old facility, which was in disrepair and posed a danger to the students, was also unable to accommodate the student population of nearly 4,300.
At a mini-homecoming and handover of the reconstructed and expanded dining hall to the school, Joseph Osei-Owusu, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and a former student of the school, praised the old students for their various contributions to the construction of the building.
He stated, “The old students should be very proud of what we have been able to achieve. We are relatively young and there are not many rich people but when we put ourselves together, small, minimum and big contributions, we have finally been able to rebuild the dining hall for the students and we have every reason to be proud of ourselves.”
Mr. Osei-Owusu, who is the MP for Bekwai, indicated, that it is the old students who will give value to the school, and that what they do will determine how the institution is classified.
“Some schools are very popular because their products (old students) are in positions and they are doing well and giving their schools a good name. I am doing my part as well as KT Hammond, Minister of Trade and Industry, who is also a product of this school. Everywhere I have an opportunity, I proudly talk about Juaben SHS.” he said.
He challenged the current students to work hard to become relevant in society.
He also entreated them to ensure their conducts and behaviour bring a good reputation to the school.
Nana Osei Busumuru, Apagyahene of Juaben, who is also an old student of the school, admonished the students to take good care of the facility.
He urged the school’s headmistress to inform students, staff and future student generations that no matter what magnitude on the greater scale their youthful exuberance and adrenalin would reach, they must not visit vandalism on the edifice or any part of the school.
Mrs. Josephine Mensah Opuni- Boachie, Headmistress of Juaben SHS, widely known as ‘Asaagyefo’, expressed gratitude to former students for their support of their alma mater.
She admonished the students to take care of the facility. She also urged them to exhibit a maintenance culture for the facility to last.
Mrs. Opuni- Boachie, on behalf of the students, pledged that the property would be taken care of.
According to her, the 1981 old students after commissioning a sick bay for the school not long ago, realised the need to renovate the dining hall and the idea was supported by the entire old students.
From David Afum, Kumasi