720 Schoolchildren participate in march past

Seven hundred and twenty first and second cycle schoolchildren took part in this year’s parade at the Black Star Square in Accra to mark Ghana’s 59th Independence Anniversary.

The students came from seven basic schools and five senior high schools.

The schools included the Garrison Primary and Junior High School (JHS), Kokomleme ‘2’ JHS, Prince of Peace RC Basic School, Al-Zakiya Islamic Girls’ School, Wesley Grammar School, Accra Girls’ Senior High School and the Accra High School.

Led by their teachers, the smartly dressed students marched with confidence as they filed past the dignitaries, including President John Mahama, Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, former Presidents Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor, as well as the Presidents of Kenya and Guinea Bissau, Messrs Uhuru Kenyatta and Jose Mario Vaz.

One notable feature at the Independence Square this year was the mounting of giant television screens at the stands to ensure easy viewing by students and members of the public. This was to prevent any stampede as students struggled to catch a glimpse of the march past.

The march past has always been the highlight of Ghana's independence celebrations and it was no different this year, although it was held on a Sunday. The only difference was that the schools that took part in it were not many. The ceremony was short and beautiful.

First to kick off the march past were students of Wesley Grammar School. Dressed in their school cloth, with miniature Ghana flags attached to the waist, they set the pace with their fine marching. Next to follow was the Talents Restoration School sporting a black and white uniform. Over the years, the school most people look forward to watching is the Accra High School and they did not disappoint with their smartness. They wore their usual black and white attire and spiced it up with a vest made with their school cloth.

In yellow long sleeves shirts over blue skirts and short blue ties, the Accra Girls’ Senior High School students also gave a good account of themselves.

Students from the various sub metros: Okaikoi, Ashiedu Keteke, Ablekuma North and Ayawaso also took their turns to march past the dais.

The Al-Zakiya Girls’ School wore green pinafore over white long sleeves shirt and white hijab. They were a delight to watch, and so were students of Graceland International School, Bubiashie, and the Garrison Primary and Junior High School.

Right after the march past, pupils of the Dansoman ‘4’ Basic and Junior High School got on stage and entertained the audience with a variety of traditional dances.

The highlight of the cultural performance was the formation of the letters GFP, which stands for Ghana For Peace.

The Ghana Dance Ensemble also put up an artistic display.

To show their self defence skills, students of the St Kizito School, Nima, exhibited some taekwondo skills featuring some females as well as six-year-old Prince Ankasili.

The audience had a lot of fun as Masqueraders in colourful outfits danced to various Ghanaian music.

Anyone in the audience who was faint-hearted had to hold his or her breath to watch the display by the all-female riders of the MTTU. They were so agile on their motorbikes as they showed two formations depicting unity and cohesion in a delightful and swift way.

Before the speeches, some local movie actors and actresses: Kofi Adu (Agya Koo), Kwaku Manu, Clement Bonney (Mr Beautiful), Rose Mensah (Kyeiwaa) and Papa Nii Pathington (Papa Nii) set the square agog with their hilarious marching styles.