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All roads lead to TARSCO for 60th anniversary celebrations
The theme for the celebration is “Achieving Academic Excellence Through Discipline for National Development.” Established in 1961 under the Education Trust Scheme, TARSCO has become one of the outstanding second-cycle institutions fulfilling its mission and vision of becoming a centre of excellence in human investment services for Ghana, Africa and the world at large.
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The nation Ghana, Western Region and all TARSCODIANS on this occasion should show beyond lip service, and show appreciation to the Almighty God for bringing the school this far. The 60-year journey has been long and tortuous. The expectations have been high. TARSCO, Wassa, Tarkwa, Western Region and Ghana as a whole have cause to celebrate. Commendable achievements have been made in the area of educational excellence churning out competent, effective and efficient human resources for Mother Ghana, Africa and the globe.
Located in the Wassa West Municipality (Tarkwa-Nsuem Constituency) of the Western Region, TARSCO is a place of great opportunities. It has made available to the people of Ghana excellent education for students during their time in this great school. The academic disciplines bothers on all aspects of education including science, business, arts, social and academic. The establishment of TARSCO presented and still presents opportunities for not only people in the municipality but others from Sefwi, Takoradi, Accra, Kumasi and beyond to develop a strong foundation for high standards of social lifestyle.
TARSCO has produced eminent citizens who are serving in strategic positions in society. These include medical doctors, geologists, miners, lecturers, nurses, journalists, caterers, administrators, educationists, biologists, agriculturists, soldiers, politicians, pastors, marketers, public relations practitioners, bankers, and a host of others.
These include Major General Nicholas Peter Andoh, Chief of Staff at the General Headquarters, Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Mr Kwasi Amoako Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways (MP), Dr Toni Aubynn, former Chief Executive Officer of Minerals Commission and Ghana Chamber of Mines, Mrs Gifty Ampofo Twum, Deputy Minister of Education (MP), Mr Kofi Duku Arthur, retired Commissioner of Police, former Ashanti Regional Commander, COP(retd) Kwasi Mensah Duku, Mr Moses Ramsey Arthur, former Managing Director of OSA Transport Services, Mr J. B. Opoku-Acheampong, former Judicial Secretary, Ms Eva Mends, Technical Director, Ministry of Finance, Professor Andrews Adjei, Immunology Department of the University of Ghana Medical School, Opoku Nti of Black Stars and Asante Kotoko fame, Fiifi Boafo, Ghana Cocoa Board, Seth Kwame Dzokoto (“Komean or Edziban a”), Professor Stephen Sobotie, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Education, Kumasi Campus, Mr Israel Ackah, lawyer and Chief Executive of Empire African Institute, Lawyer Stephen Sah, Graphic Communications Group Limited, Lt. Colonel John Eshun, Ambassador Biyira Idrissu, Dr Isaac Kwesi Biney, University of Ghana, Professor Samuel Ndur and M. E. K. Badai, UMaT, Mrs Hannah Owusu-Koranteng, President of TARPSA and Associate Executive Director of WACAM, Rev. Dr Francis Ghunn, Assemblies of God (Tarkwa), Rev. Dr Cudjoe, ICGC, Dr Donkor, St Mina Hospital, Ashaiman, Peter Mensah, Wallace Investment Group, Professor Henry Mensah, KNUST, Mr Stanley Tanor a businessman among others.
Other prominent citizens though were not students of TARSCO yet benefitted from science and arts (literature) facilities provided by the school.
TARSCO believes in the principle that the cornerstone of a good social life is discipline. Discipline has been a key ingredient in every aspect of the life of students of TARSCO wherever they find themselves. Disciplinarians such as Mr C. K. E. Stephens, R. T. Sackey, Mrs Margaret Osei, Ms Charlotte Adjei, Mr T. A. Mensah, Mr Constance Agbo, Mr Joseph Takyi, Mr Joseph Ankomah, Oramus Amoah, and others made sure that as students leave the walls of this institution, good virtues were inculcated in them.
TARSCO also contributed to the liberation of some African countries by offering educational opportunities to some of the youth of South Africa, Namibia and others to pursue courses before going back to join in the liberation struggles for independence in their various countries.
TARSCO has a pool of alumni in Ghana and abroad. Presently, branches of the TARSCO Old Students Association in Accra/Tema, Tarkwa, Takoradi and Kumasi, North America, the UK and Europe are the most active ones across the globe. TARSCO has produced a large number of professionals in high positions in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, South Africa, Mali, and Tanzania, among others who have also constituted themselves into vibrant old student associations around the world.
The global TARSCO Alumni Association is working in partnership with its counterparts here to celebrate the contribution made by the school in achieving academic excellence. The alumni association provides a good opportunity to build networks with former students and make sustained contacts with those whose fields of work are of interest to one another. With the power of the network community and contacts, the alumni mobilise material, technical and financial resources to support the school.
As part of the legacy project, the TARSCO Past Students Association (TARPSA) is raising funds for the construction of a modern dining hall complex with a capacity of 2,500. This involves a huge capital outlay and requires the support of corporate institutions and individuals to contribute materials and finance to complete the project.
TARSCO's diamond Jubilee is worth celebrating as the school considers itself victorious as a second-cycle institution anchored on good principles. It should be seen as symbolising a new beginning as well as a revival of the spirits of TARSCO. The best way to celebrate the achievements of this noble school is for its management, Wassa West Municipal Assembly, Wassa Fiase Traditional Council, government and other stakeholders to focus attention on the unresolved numerous challenges of the school.
The encroachment of the school’s lands by private developers, illegal mining activities leading to the annual flooding of the campus, poor infrastructural facilities, overcrowding, and dilapidation of the Aggrey and Sabah House Block, are some of the problems confronting the school.
TARSCO is blessed and surrounded by natural and mineral resources. Rich agricultural land, gold and manganese deposits, rubber, oil palm plantation, and mountain view, among others in the area. God gave TARSCO this vast land that “flows with milk and honey.” In those days, TARSCO used to produce palm fruits, fish, food stuff, pigs and others for Agricultural Science practicals and the immediate community.
Sixty years of existence demand that stakeholders help to re-position the school to occupy its rightful position in the league of elite schools. The school’s recent performance in the National Science and Maths Quiz is worthy of note.
TARSCO provided the foundation for the setting up of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT). The aforementioned should agitate the minds of policymakers, government, old students, the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council, and Western Regional Co-ordinating Council as the school celebrates this jubilee.
The stakeholders must reflect soberly on the School’s Motto: “Carpe Diem” – Make hay while the sun shines and juxtapose it with the achievements and failures and strive to make amends to forge ahead and therefore take its rightful place in the comity of privileged and “ivy” league schools in Ghana and the world.
Tarscodians must stand up for the school no matter where they are. The renewal of TARSCO’s spirit, body and soul, plans of expansion and objective of the jubilee celebrations should be rigorously pursued by all and sundry to make our great alma mater soar higher and higher in achieving academic excellence.
TARSCO: Carpe Diem. Happy 60th Birthday.
(The writer is a journalist, marketer, banker, author, public relations and communications expert. [email protected], telephone: 0243268036)
(1991 & Library Prefect, 1993)