Fourteen second-cycle institutions are locked in a four-day battle for medals, pride and regional supremacy as the 50th Volta Region Central Zone Inter-School Sports Festival burst into life in Ho last Wednesday.

The competition has drawn together some of the region’s most competitive schools to contest for honours in football, handball, volleyball, table tennis, basketball, netball and athletics.

Opening the golden jubilee edition of the festival, the Ho Municipal Director of Education, Dr Esther Yeboah-Adzimah, rejected the notion that sports was a distraction from academic activities, insisting instead that it rather reinforced the values cultivated in the classroom.

“On the track, our students learn focus; on the court, they learn strategy; on the field, they learn resilience; in defeat, they learn humility; and in victory, they learn responsibility,” she said.

Sustainable funding

Her message resonated strongly with athletes, coaches and supporters gathered at the opening ceremony, as she stressed the importance of sustaining and strengthening inter-school sports festivals across the municipality.

Dr Yeboah-Adzimah further called for a decisive shift in how the competition was financed, urging stakeholders to move away from last-minute fundraising toward a more structured, reliable funding model built on strategic partnerships with alumni, corporate bodies, community stakeholders and development-oriented institutions.

“It is time to move from emergency fundraising to structured and consistent funding,” she said, advocating strategic partnerships with alumni groups, corporate bodies, community stakeholders and development-oriented institutions to secure the long-term future of the festival.

The opening football fixture delivered the first dose of drama, as the hosts Mawuli School thrilled the home crowd with a narrow 1-0 victory over Adaklu Senior High School in a tightly contested encounter.

The breakthrough came in the second half when Jeremy Tekpor reacted quickly during a goalmouth melee, stabbing the ball home to hand Mawuli School a priceless win.

With bragging rights, regional pride and a place in history at stake in this landmark 50th edition, the Central Zone festival promises days of high-energy competition, emerging talent and unforgettable moments as the region’s young athletes chase glory.