It increases the number of inaugurated community Dday SHSs to 14, with more completed ones awaiting official opening.

Inaugurated amidst excitement among the chiefs and people of Takrowase, the SHS facility is expected to boost secondary education in the district as it would provide access to 1,300 students.

About 5,000 Junior High School (JHS) graduates in the district qualified to enter SHS, but only 2,640 spaces existed in SHSs in the area until the building of the Community Day SHS which increased the capacity by 1,300.

The Takrowase Community Day SHS, which has 24 classrooms,an ICT centre and science laboratories, 16 washrooms, teachers common rooms, head teachers’ offices, assembly hall, a school bus and pick-up, is among the 70 out of the 200 Community Day SHSs to be completed this year.

President Mahama, addressing a durbar of chiefs and residents of the area, expressed delight at the progress of the Community Day SHSs project, which was significantly increasing access to secondary education.

He said without the new school infrastructure, many JHS graduates would have lost out on education, adding that the access to education translates into development for towns, districts and the nation.

“This is changing lives and transforming Ghana,” the President said and urged the community to own the school and take active interest in its management, indicating that schools that enjoy community participation tend to perform well.

He gave the assurance that the government would soon start the phase two of the project, which involved the construction of a teachers’ bungalow and boarding facility, and urged JHS graduates, especially girls to enrol into the new school.

Osabarima Owusu Nketia I, Chief of Takrowase, commended the government for the provision of the school, which he described as a major boost for the development of the area.

“We commend the President and the government for the vision, and we will continue to support you to undertake more projects for Takrowase,” he said.

Professor Nana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Minister of Education, thanked the chiefs for releasing land for the project, and assured the people of more support.

From Edmund Mingle, Takrowase.