The Ridge Church School launches Fund to set up Senior High School
The Ridge Church School in Accra has launched a Trust Fund to help the school establish its own Senior High School (SHS) in 2024.
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Known as the Ridge Church School Trust Fund (RCSTF), the fund will also help to improve the existing facilities of the school, improve academic programmes and as well as provide scholarships to some deserving students of the school.
Launching the Fund at the Ridge Church in Accra on Thursday, March 30, 2023, the Headmistress of the School, Mrs Nana Ama Acheampomaa Badasu, said the Fund will benefit learners of the school in diverse ways.
She expressed the hope, for instance, that the planned establishment of the SHS, which will be running international curriculum alongside that of the Ghana Education Service (GES), will be a great boost to learners of the school.
For her, the purpose of the new SHS, was to redefine senior high education in the country and to also enable the Ridge Church School to become a centre where competent graduates are trained for the country’s development.
Mrs. Badasu, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders of the school, particularly the past students to come to the aid of the school through their donations in order to enable the school to realise its vision.
Role of Ridge Church School
The Ridge Church School was established in 1957 by the Accra Ridge Church (ARC).
Its stated mission is to promote high quality education using world-class teaching and learning methods to raise disciplined, dedicated, God-fearing and responsible individuals based on strong Christian principles for the country.
For her part, a Board Member of the School, Mrs Grace Dede Hanson, commended all individuals who conceived the idea for the Fund to be set up for their great vision.
She said the Ridge Church School has been a key contributor of well performing students to the various SHSs across the country.
"In the 66 years of existence, the school has been a feeder for top secondary schools in the country, initially through the Common Entrance Examinations and later through the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE)," she explained.
Mrs. Hanson said the decision for the school to establish her own SHS, apart from giving quality tuition, was to make the school a one-stop school for parents.
She said the establishment of the SHS will enable parents to stop hunting for schools for their wards after they had completed basic education in the school.
She expressed the hope that old students of the school, including parents will help the school to raise the needed funds to start the project in earnest, saying “the Ridge Church School will need the support of her many sons and daughters."
Mrs. Hanson added "We are saying to the alumni and friends that we need your help, please come to the Ridge Church school and help us."
Trustees of the Fund
A member of the Committee to manage the Fund, Mrs Joyce Bannerman-Woode, in a brief presentation on the Fund, said the Fund is a company limited by guarantee (LGB) duly registered under Ghana's Companies Act 2019 (Act 992) and is managed by trustees who are appointed by the Accra Ridge Church, Old Ridgeans Association (ORA), and the school’s Board.
"The trustees have undertaken to hold, manage, and administer the Fund in accordance with the terms of the Trust Deed," she explained.
She expressed the hope that the team of professionals who have been assembled to manage the fund will inure to the benefit of the school and its stakeholders.
Prudent management
The Chairperson for the event, Justice Merley Wood, an Appeals Court judge, commended the founders of the school for their vision in giving quality education to Ghanaian children.
She consequently charged those who have been tasked with the responsibility to manage the Fund to do so with accountability and with transparency in order to achieve the purpose for which the Fund has been set up.
“I charge them to find innovative ways of generating income,” she admonished the Fund Committee, adding “all Stakeholders have to be given regular information.”
Seed money
A total of more than GH¢65,000 was raised at the launch as the seed money for the Fund.
