John Mensah Anang (with mic), Board Chairman of Kinbu SHTS, delivering his speech at the launch. With him are Sylvia M. Letcher-Teye (2nd from right), Headmistress of the school, Joseph Oddei (right), KOSA President, and other dignitaries

Kinbu SHTS launches 150th anniversary

Daily Graphic Jul - 27 - 2023 , 07:19

The Kinbu Senior High Technical School has launched its 150th anniversary and extended an invitation to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, a product of the school, to join in the celebration of his alma mater.

The 150th Anniversary/Speech & Prize-Giving Day is scheduled for September 2024.

The programme lined up for the celebration will include pre-speech & prize-giving, fun games, Kinbu Old Students Association (KOSA) Homecoming, health screening, clean-up exercise and float through the principal streets of Kinbu in Accra.

At a press conference to launch the event, the Headmistress of the school, Sylvia M. Letcher-Teye, gave a historical background and phases that the school had undergone from 1874 to date.

Phases

In phase one, the school was known as Rowe-Road’s School and Kinbu Middle Boys School in 1874.

Phase two occurred in 1987 when the school metamorphosed into Kinbu Junior Secondary School.

Phase three saw the school changing its courses to include technical programmes, so the school’s name changed to Kinbu Secondary Technical School in 1991.

The final phase four occurred in 2006 when the West Africa Examination Council switched its examination from Senior Secondary Schools Certificate Examination (SSSCE) to West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

This modified the names of senior secondary schools to senior high schools; hence, Kinbu Secondary Technical School also became Kinbu Senior High Technical School.

Role

The President of KOSA, Joseph Oddei, said by celebrating this 150 years would mean celebrating the success of teachers, students and all those who had played various roles in bringing Kinbu thus far amid all the challenges.

He said that was why the management of the school had carefully chosen the anniversary theme to be: “Equipping our future leaders with the 21st-century skills – the roles of the stakeholders”, which would bring stakeholders together through various pre-anniversary activities to discuss the theme.

The Chairman of the Governing Board of the school, John Mensah Anang, said the historic milestone represented a century and a half of educational excellence, resilience and transformative impact on the lives of countless students.

He paid tribute to visionaries and trailblazers who, over the years, had laid the foundation of the institution.

Past students

KOSA members who have distinguished themselves in various fields include the former CEO of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Prof. Nii Otu Nartey – (KOSA-1960); the late former Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra, Nat Nunoo Amarteifio; a Development Chief of James Town, Nii Aryee Krotia, aka George M. Aryee; a Labour Union Activist, USA, Isaac Nortey (KOSA-1960); a Missiologist, Rev. Nii John Gershong (KOSA-1963), and Dr Ishmael Nii Amanor Dodoo of the United Nations.

In attendance at the press launch were the Korle-Klottey Municipal Director of Education, Joyce Osae-Apenteng, teaching and non-teaching staff of the school, some old students, the parent-teacher association Chairman, Emmanuel Nicholas Osei, a session of the school choir, which provided some melodies of the school anthem and other songs to the admiration of the guests.

The main launch of the anniversary is scheduled for November 23, 2023, at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly Auditorium.