The OLA Senior High School (SHS) in Ho, has held its 69th speech and prize giving day where 60 teachers, non-teaching staff and students, who distinguished themselves in the various disciplines of the school were honoured.
The 69th speech and prize giving day, which was sponsored by the 1997 and 98 year groups and was under the theme: ‘’Preparing Today’s Girl for the Future of Work and Entrepreneurship,’’ attracted over two hundred stakeholders.
Speaking at the function, the Volta Regional Director of Education, Mr Francis Yao Agbemadi, commended the management of the school for upholding high moral and academic standards in the school over the years, thereby producing quality human resources for the country.
Mr Agbemadi said the SHS education is aimed at ensuring holistic learning which would prepare the youth academically, morally and for the world of work to enable them become entrepreneurs.
He also called on stakeholders to cooperate and support school management board to ensure effective running of the institution and commended the Past OLA Girls Association (POGA) for supporting the school over the years.
The Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Divine R.K Bosson, who represented the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa, said women contribute meaningfully to development across the world and their education must be tackled with all seriousness.
Dr Letsa stressed that the era when women were restricted to the home was over and that equal opportunities are being given to both males and females when it comes to education. This, he noted, is to help develop talents of girls to ensure that they face the future with confidence.
The Minister said it was crucial for parents to uphold the Free SHS policy to provide quality education to their wards and urged parents to take advantage of available opportunities in education, to ensure that all children acquire secondary education.
The Headmistress of OLA SHS, Madam Benedicta Amata MawunyoAgbezudorsaid discipline is the hallmark of the school, which culminated into high academic performance over the years. According to him, the school registered 811 candidates for the 2022 WASSCE and out of the number, the school recorded 77.6 percent pass and 625 qualified to attend any tertiary institution in the country.
Madam Agbezudor, however, said in spite of the successes attained over the years, the school has numerous challenges that call for immediate attention to enable the institution sustain their achievements for years to come.
According to the Headmistress, inadequate infrastructure in the school has led to congestion in the classrooms and mentioned lack of adequate dormitories, modern library and science laboratory among others, as some of the challenges.
She, therefore, appealed to the government to provide additional classrooms, library, dormitories and science laboratory, school vehicle and clinic to promote effective teaching and learning in the school.
He stressed that since the free SHS policy was introduced, no infrastructure had been added to the existing facilities.
