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• Dr Augustine Tawiah, an official of the GES presenting the best WASSCE candidate of the school to Mr Gideon Agyei for scoring 8As

St Thomas Aquinas SHS marks 63rd anniversary

The St Thomas Aquinas Senior High School (SHS) has marked its 63rd anniversary with a call on stakeholders in education to actively play their role in ensuring that Ghana achieved quality education.  

The Editor of the Daily Graphic, Mr Ransford Tetteh, who made the call, particularly chided parents who ignored their responsibilities and spent on “unnecessary” things at the expense of their children’s education.

Mr Tetteh, who is an old student of the school (Old Tom), was the guest speaker. He spoke on the theme: “Meeting the needs of our time through quality education.”

He cautioned that if the educational system of the nation was left in the hands of politicians alone, quality education might not be realised. 

Products of quality education 

Deliberating on the theme, Mr Tetteh stated that the world was looking for products of quality education who could provide solutions to their numerous needs such as food, clothing, shelter, disease outbreak and technology.

“A good quality education is one that provides all learners with capabilities they require to become economically productive, develop sustainable livelihoods, contribute to peaceful and democratic societies and enhance individual wellbeing,” he emphasised.

Quality education should make people develop their talents and pursue careers that satisfy their passions, he indicated.

The editor implored the students to develop enquiring minds and question the things that happened around them anytime, adding that they ought to think fast and be smart to hold leaders accountable.

“Quality education should also make a good number of school products want to create jobs and businesses rather than relying on government for a source of livelihood,” he added.

Mr Tetteh further opined that quality education should instil in students a sense of tolerance and morality which ensured peaceful co-existence in society.

To show a deep sense of commitment to his Alma Mater, the former Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) President donated GH 1,000 to the students of the Visual Arts Department, and promised to visit the school more regularly. 

Reward of the teacher

The Chairman for the occasion, Rt Rev Dr Daniel S.M. Torto, who is also the Anglican Bishop of Accra, said it was essential to place the teacher at the centre of any effort to promote quality education.

He said it was no longer tenable to ask the teacher to seek his or her reward in heaven because the teacher worked in order to earn a living on earth.

Rt Rev Dr Torto, also an old Tom, therefore urged all other stakeholders in education to give the teacher the pride of place. 

Academic performance 

The headmaster of St Thomas Aquinas SHS, Mr James Dapaah Asamoah, said in the 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the school maintained its 100 per cent pass, with the best student scoring 8As while two others scored 7As.

General academic performance of the school, according to him, had been encouraging and it is among the top twenty schools in the country currently.

That notwithstanding, Mr Asamoah stated that the school was battling with some challenges which needed immediate intervention from the government, old students and other stakeholders.

He mentioned lack of boarding facilities, staff accommodation, assembly hall and a generating set as some of the major challenges which needed instantaneous response.

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