The importance of community participation in Ghana’s educational system

I have always been the quiet type when it comes to participation in the programs of my various alma maters! But after assuming an executive position on the Adisadel College Millennium Group Executive Committee, I have upped my participation in activities since December 2021.?

As a tradition at Adisadel College, 25 years after completing school, each year group presents a project to the school, and takes responsibility for organizing the school’s speech and prize giving day that year. Since I completed in 2000 our group will do our part in 2025. We decided to take a project to modernize the school’s ‘job 600 building’, a block that houses classrooms, an amphitheater, and physics labs.??

A video I recently saw of the current state of the building was nothing to write home about, and in fact during our dinner to officially launch our project, the headmaster shared the story of how some students narrowly escaped injury when a small portion of the building caved in. Maintenance for a school that has been in existence for over 100 years is very important but who’s responsibility, is it? Can or will government be able to do it all?

It is still early yet, but surely with the Adisadel College Millennium Group’s plans, we will be contributing in a small way to future great minds.??One other joy in participation, I have learnt is the simple ability to inspire others after us. On January 2, we honored graduating students of Adisadel College for scoring all A’s in the 2021 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The prize presentation was made during a thanksgiving service organized by the Millennium Year Group with the support of their patron and Adisdadel old boy, Nana Osae Nyampong. The thanksgiving ceremony took place at the Christ Anglican Church, University of Ghana, with a church service led by Rev. Fr Chris Nii Noi Ashong.??Also in attendance was Rev. Canon Engineer William Hutton-Mensah, Chaplin for Christ Anglican Church, who is an old boy of Adisadel (1976), and the grandson of the first indigenous Ghanaian headmaster of the school.

The church service was followed by a reception where over 200 students we treated to food, drinks, music, and entertainment. 14 students who scored 8 A’s were presented with prizes by the patron and members of the executive committee of the Adisadel College Millennium Year Group. They include the Adisadel National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) contestants and team members Prince Nuakoh, Arizie Sylvester Johannes, Anyan Balak??Nana Marfo Amponsah, Ward Eugene Atikpo, Danso Kofi Afum, and Daniel Aryeequaye.

The rest include: Ampomah Danso Kwadwo, Torto Kelvin Ronald Torgbor, Twum Kwabena Frimpong Siaw, Appiah Evans , Smulders Albert Adom, Sufianu Abdul-Maajid, Sackey Nanakow Gyan and Manu James Kofi Nkrumah.

Also present were students from the Mfantsiman Girls’ Senior High School, in true spirit of the ‘SANTAMOGA’ union between the two schools. Two students from the school were also honoured at the event for excelling in the 2021 West African Senior School Certificate Examination. The girls also participated in the entertainment activities including music performances and dancing at the reception.

Richard Nii Amu Arthur, president of the Adisadel College Millennium Year Group Executive Committee, highlighted the importance of the ceremony saying: “The executives of the Adisadel College Millennium Year Group decided to organize this ceremony because as ‘Santaclausians’ we were proud of the achievements of these young and brilliant students. It is not easy to excel in today’s world of many distractions, that keep students from academic work. These students made the school proud, and we wanted to join them in thanking God for their success, and honor their efforts and inspire them for the journeys ahead.”

Board Chairman of Gensar Energy and Kamenahene of the Akwamu Traditional Area, Nana Osae Nyampong, was particularly happy to find out that several of the students who received prizes had opted to pursue a degree in Business Administration just like him. He encouraged them to study hard and continue to excel in all their endeavors.

Adisadel College remains a National Pride, with multiple science awards including the 2016 National Science and Math Quiz champions and 2021 National Robotics champions. To continue churning out global leaders in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), Adisadel College is building the first STEM laboratory in Ghana.

Alumni of Adisadel have excelled in many other fields including governance, law, business, and sports. Indeed, these young scientists have added to the gains.