He said such organisations, such as the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, had made immense contributions in the establishment of SHSs that catered to girl-child education which had promoted quality education leading to quality human resource for the country.

At the 97th Anniversary and Speech and Prize-Giving Day of Krobo Girls Senior High School at Odumase-Krobo in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region last Saturday, Rev. Fourdjour was emphatic that girl-child education was the priority of the government and was continuously putting in measures to promote quality human resource who would contribute to the growth and development of present and future generations.

The anniversary, which was on the theme: “Moulding Our Future Human Resource: Beauty and Excellence”, was attended by students, old students, parents, management of the Presbyterian Schools, the Municipal Chief Executive, Simon Kweku Tetteh, and the Konor of Manya Krobo, Nene Sakite II, among other dignitaries.

Krobo Girls SHS, which has the motto: “Krobo is shining”, was established in 1927 by the Presbyterian Church of Ghana as Krobo Women’s Training College and was later changed to SHS.

It has current population of 3,004, including 148 day students, with 201 teaching and non-teaching staff. Rev. Fourdjour stated that girls had unique talents as their boys counterparts and when given the chance would prove equal to the task.

He stressed the need to remove all cultural barriers that were inhibiting the promotion of girl-child education, adding “gender parity should be key issue in our SHSs”.

Urgent attention

The Headmistress of the school, Bernice Noel Mensah-Akutteh, in a report, lauded individuals and organisations that had supported the school over the years. She mentioned a number of challenges confronting the school which needed urgent attention.

They included renovation of the school’s laboratory, a school bus, the completion of dining hall with an attached kitchen which was 70 per cent complete, the completion of a dormitory block which was about 99 per cent complete, the development of the school sports field and protecting the school land from erosion.

Others were a borehole for the school, the renovation of the school’s e-learning centre and assembly hall as well as the construction of staff bungalows.

Mrs Mensah-Akutteh said the school boasted of good academic excellence and urged all stakeholders including parents, teachers and the students, to continue to persevere in all areas to maintain its current status among girls’ SHS in the country.

Inspire, nurture

The Area Controller, Air Traffic Control of Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Evelyn Oye Lamptey, who was the guest speaker, said the country could not afford to overlook the pivotal role girls played in shaping the future and, therefore, all must help to inspire and nurture their potential.

That, she said, would unlock the boundless possibilities for innovation, growth and societal advancement. The General Manager of the Presbyterian Schools, Daniel Yeboah Hienno, cautioned the students that the Presbyterian Church of Ghana would not compromise on immorality issues among SHS students in their facilities.

He, therefore, charged the students to focus on their studies and that their attention should not be diverted from the reason they were in the school.        

The Chairperson for the programme, Dr Harriet Naki Amui, a former Principal of Aburi Presbyterian Women’s College of Education, who is also an old student of the school, said all stakeholders must affirm their commitment to moulding future human resource that embodied both beauty and excellence.