MINISTER OF Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum says his success in life is primarily based on the solid education and discipline he got when he enrolled at Kumasi High School (KUHIS) to pursue his 6th form education.
Speaking at the 9th speech and prize giving day of his alma mater in Gyinyase, the Education Minister noted that he found KUHIS as heaven having had a difficult time meandering his way through secondary school at Jachie Pramso SHS.
The Minister said through the guidance of tutors and with the determination to enter Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) whose campus he could see from his bed in KUHIS at night pursued and passed the Science course he pursued at 6th form.
“I have become what you see in me because when I got to Kumasi High School I saw I had arrived in heaven and with the Science laboratory and everything in place I decided to study my heart out and pass to KNUST which I could see at night from my bed in KUHIS”, Dr Adutwum stated.
Commitment:
The Minister said government believes that the best pivot of development is education and is determined to continue to perfect the free Senior High School education policy.
He noted that the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government does not want any child to be left out from getting into SHS and further pursuing university education if they so wills hence bearing all costs associated with the FSHS programme.
Narrating the success of Korea in getting high levels of education for its population, Dr Adutwum said the government through the Ministry of Education would be aiming at having 99.5 education rate for its citizens as Korea had achieved.
“Ghana and Africa cannot be left out in the 4th revolution and if we can be able to compete intellectually and develop our continent our best bet is through the education of our population”, the Minister stressed.
Headmaster:
Highlighting some of the achievements of the school, Mr Bernard Hall-Baiden, headmaster of KUHIS said the school was the best performing school in the 2021 West Africa Senior High School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) and amongst the best 9 performing schools in the country in the just ended National Science and Maths Quiz.
He noted that KUHIS recently won the NIMDE3 Business School Competition which was sponsored by the US Embassy and also won the LUV FM High schools debate for Ashanti Region, adding that the school was still the defending champions to the Milo Football Championship for SHS in Ashanti.
KUHIS, the headmaster said have had tremendous support from its old boys who he said have continued to support all programmes at the school including quiz, debate, needy but brilliant students recruitment as well as infrastructural and developmental projects on campus.
He however asked for more support from stakeholders and government who he said had through the GETFUND and the Asokwa Municipal Assembly contributed to many of the schools projects.
Chairman:
Addressing the over 3000 students and the invited personalities, Abrante3 Rev Prof Francis Agyemang Yeboah (Prof FAY) said the theme for the occasion “Enhancing the Free SHS Policy; the Role of Stakeholders was apt since the policy was good to be maintained.
Prof FAY said the tremendous numbers that have gotten the opportunity to pursue education through Free SHS policy was worth noting.
The Chairman therefore called on parents, School authorities, government as well as persons connected to education to continue to share ideas and information that would make the policy perpetual in the education system.
“We must all seize the opportunity which the free SHS policy offers us to discuss and suggest ways to make it better since the advantages of having a highly educated society cannot be underestimated if we want to build a successful Ghana”, Prof FAY stressed.
Asokwa MCE:
Chief Akwannuasah Gyimah, Asokwa Municipal Chief Executive who represented the president, lauded KUHIS for its roles to promote education in the country.
By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie
Kumasi