Osei Assibey Antwi presenting school uniforms to some of the pupils
THE KUMASI mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi, has lauded President Akufo-Addo, for introducing the ‘Free Senior High School (SHS)’ policy.
He observed that it had been the dream of Ghana’s founding fathers – since the attainment of independence in 1957 – to make education free for all the youth.
The mayor stressed that President Akufo-Addo deserves to be praised for having the vision and courage to make the dream a reality.
“Our ex-presidents, including Dr. Nkrumah, Dr. Busia, Dr. Limann, Messrs Rawlings, Kufuor, Mills and Mahama, dreamt of making education free for the youth.
“But the dream could not come to pass until President Nana Akufo-Addo ascended the highest office on the land,” he pointed out.
Mr Osei Assibey insisted that President Akufo-Addo had proven that he is indeed passionate about educating the youth and so he must be lauded by all.
He made these observations when he visited six schools in the Kumasi metropolis Wednesday morning during the ‘My First Day at School’ programme.
The schools are St. Mary’s Anglican Primary, Kyirapatre, KO Methodist, Womase MA Basic and Kwadaso MA Primary and JHS, among others.
He charged the pupils to learn seriously so that they could benefit from the ‘Free SHS’ programme, aimed at enhancing their future prospects.
The mayor noted that the vision of the president would only materialise when the students shunned social vices and studied seriously.
Mr Osei Assibey admonished the pupils to protect the environment by desisting from littering indiscriminately.
According to him, the KMA is expecting the pupils to be ambassadors of its ‘Keep Kumasi Clean and Green’ programme, which he claimed, would be launched soon.
He also urged the school authorities to plant trees on their various school compounds to create green sceneries and beautify the environment.
Mr Osei Assibey told the media that he was at the schools to learn the problems facing them so that the KMA could intervene and also to motive the pupils.
The KMA boss used the occasion to present school uniforms, exercise books, pens and pencils, among other learning materials, to the delighted-looking pupils.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi