The 1997 Year Group of the Accra Newtown Experimental 1 Junior High School has donated educational materials worth over GHc27,000 to their alma mater.
The donation which forms part of the year group’s 25th Anniversary since they completed school coincided with the Graduation, Speech and Prize Giving Day Ceremony held for the 2022 batch on Wednesday, December 12, 2022 at the school’s premises.
Items donated include 3 HP laptops with bags, 2 Epson Projectors, 3 External Hard Drives and 3 Computer Mouse. Funding of the items was made possible by the kind support of the Group Chairman of Allied Consortium SA, Mr. Benjamin Kofi Quarshie, who is also the Vice President of the 97 Year Group.
President of the ANT97 Year Group, Mr. Prince Kudjo Agbomadzi, who chaired the function, explained that the gesture is their contribution in support of teaching and learning in the school.
“Indeed, we have received a lot from this school. Coincidentally, this year marks exactly 25 years since we graduated from ANT, and as we mark our anniversary, we deem it a privilege to come here and donate these items to impact academic work. This is not the first time we are supporting our school and it won’t be the last. We are in this together,” he stated.
He encouraged the outgoing students to go and excel in their next academic level and bring honour to the school that has given then an obvious good foundation.
The Headmaster of the Accra Newtown Experimental 1 JHS, Mr. Emmanuel Nyavor, who was extremely excited by the gesture from the old students chronicled some of the assistance the group has offered the school in the recent times. He mentioned supplying electricity to some of the school blocks, supporting the school with about GHc 20,000 worth of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) during the heat of Covid-19, learning materials like books and pens as well as sporting kits among others.
“I am extremely impressed with what these old students, especially the 1997 group are doing for this school. They supported when I was rallying support to increase security here, we erected a wall around the school with the support of the municipal assembly, to wade-off mad people around here,” he stated.
He also thanked the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) of the school as well as the Ayawaso Central Education Directorate, the teachers and other stakeholders for being always supportive in any move that would improve academic works in the school.
According to him, steps are being taken to ensure that discipline which is a major issue for the school due to the community they find themselves is addressed.
Challenges
“We have an issue with our huge numbers but we are still working had to ensure that we are on top. We have introduced the Face of ANT Experimental School, it is to give confidence and boost talents of the pupils, they’ll also champion projects in the community, among other things,” Mr. Nyavor stated.
He called for support for some painting and renovation works in the school as parts of roof leaks badly whenever it rains.
“We want one of the rooms to be converted to ICT lab to help us be in touch with technology,” he added.
Delivering the keynote address, the Director of Education at the Ayawaso Central Municipal Assembly, Augustus Owusu-Agyemfra who spoke on the theme Quality Education: The Role of Stakeholders” said all stakeholders have roles to play to achieve quality education in the country.
“We are all aware that for teaching and learning to be effective, the environment must be safe for both the teacher and the learner. When we talk of safe school, we are looking at a school with zero tolerance for any form of violence such as bullying, sexual harassment, corporal punishment and other forms of violence. For this reason, the Ghana Education Service has introduced the safe school program to sensitise teachers on the negative effects of corporal punishment and also to educate teachers and students on the need to desist from bullying, sexual harassment, verbal abuse and violence.
“This means that teachers, learners, parents and stakeholders have a part to play in ensuring that the school environment is safe for teaching and learning. The Ghana Education Service has introduced positive discipline measures to teach learners to become responsible, respectful and resourceful members in their communities.
“This program has also been destined to empower teachers with skills to build their learners sense of community, prepare them for successful living and also increase academic achievements Ladies and gentlemen, let us all embrace the positive discipline tools which have replaced punishment that frightens, shame or belittle children. The tool aims at providing strategies that encourage better behaviour like directing them, praising them and spending quality time together,” he stated.
He urged the learners to be obedient to their teachers, maintain discipline in the class, keep the school neat and tidy, greet everyone with smiles, be helpful to one another, abide by school rules and regulations, complete task assigned to them on time, participate positively in all activities organised in the school, cooperate with their teachers and also be each other’s keeper.
According to him all these would contribute to a successful the quality of the education they receive from the school.
