President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Saturday joined the teachers, students, as well as former students of the Abuakwa State College (ABUSCO) at Kyebi to celebrate the school’s 80th Anniversary, which coincided with the 59th Speech and Prize Giving Day.
The President said “to ensure the products of our country’s schools become useful and valuable citizens of our nation, the virtues of hard work and discipline must be instilled in them.”
President Akufo-Addo, after unveiling a plaque to commemorate the anniversary, said the Ministry of Education would construct a 12-unit classroom block and one dormitory for the school.
He noted that GIFEC would also construct a 40-seater ICT center with well-equipped internet facility for the school, adding that his government would address the challenges facing the free SHS programme in terms of infrastructure since the policy has come to stay.
The Headmistress of Abuakwa State College, Comfort Odehe, who spoke on the theme, “Abusco@80, Providing Quality Education through Discipline and Hard Work for Academic Excellence,” bemoaned the lack of infrastructure in the school to accommodate the students and staff.
She noted that every month, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) bills the school GH¢40,000, calling for solar panels and polytank to address the numerous challenges of the school.
The Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, who chaired the ceremony, commended the current Akufo–Addo administration for courageously implementing the Free SHS policy and restoring the allowances of the teachers and nurses in the face of economic challenges.
“Irrespective of shortcomings related to free SHS policy, it is a significant democratic victory for the Ghanaian youth, as huge public resources have been committed to education in a courageous manner by the government of Akufo-Addo.”
Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin asked all Ghanaians and stakeholders to support the historic policy.
The president earlier attended the graduation ceremony of the All Nations University in Koforidua.
He congratulated the University on the occasion of its 20th Convocation, adding that “I come here today with a sense of pride in view of your recent achievement in launching GhanaSat-I into space. Indeed, your achievement has put Ghana on the map of nations that are venturing into space.”
From Daniel Bampoe, Koforidua