Odasco honours former headmaster
Oda Senior High School (ODASCO) in the Eastern Region on Saturday honoured a former headmaster of the school, Mr Jabish Richmond Amissah Arthur, with a bust on the school compound.
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The former headmaster, who is the father of the current Vice-President of Ghana, Mr Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, served the school from September 1961 to December 1977, making him the longest serving headmaster of the school.
The ceremony, which formed part of the 54th Speech and Prize-Giving Day of the school, was attended by Vice President Amissah-Arthur and his siblings.
It was on the theme, “Discipline: The hallmark of academic excellence and success”.
Hard work
In a brief exhortation, the Vice President said during the 17 years that his father served as a headmaster, he, ably supported by his wife, led dedicated staff of teachers to lay the physical, financial and academic foundation for the development of the school.
The Vice-President said: “Mr Amissah-Arthur worked tirelessly and often late into the night, supervised the construction and maintenance of buildings as the campus grew; recruited teachers, set high academic standards for teachers and students alike and scheduled the school’s events and time-tables as the need arose. Because of the absence or inadequacy of teaching staff, he filled the gap and taught whatever subject was necessary, including French, History, Science, Mathematics, English and Geography.”
“In everything he did, Mr Amissah-Arthur set clear goals and priorities and pursued excellence and expected the same from everyone. He instilled respect for order and discipline in all who were associated with the school and earned a reputation for high moral integrity,” he added.
Amissah-Arthur Award
Vice President Amissah-Arthur announced that an annual award scheme to known as the J. R. P. Amissah–Arthur Leadership Award had been established in recognition of the values and principles that guided the personal and professional life of his father.
The award will comprise a plaque and an undisclosed amount of money.
Mrs Justice Cecilia Sowah, an Appeal Court judge, urged students of the school to soberly reflect on the rewards of living disciplined lives and be determined that they would make changes in their habits and lifestyles in order to reap the rewards of academic excellence and success.
She said discipline was not necessarily punishment, as perceived in some quarters, but rather a training that provided insight, developed character and led one on a right track towards achieving academic excellence and success in every aspect of life.
Mrs Justice Sowah, who is also a sister of the Vice-President, paid tribute to the many teachers and educators of the school who conscientiously and diligently carried out their duties to raise future leaders.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Francis Appiah, called for the completion of the school’s clinic, since the health facility in the area was located eight kilometres away.
He also appealed for an expansion of the infrastructure of the school which had become critical because of congestion, particularly at the boys’ dormitory.
