Students (on the balcony) listening to the minister as he speaks to them
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, has tasked participating students from the Greater Accra Region in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) to make the region proud by setting enviable records in the examination.
He reminded students that Ghana had last year produced 11 out of the 12 overall best students within the sub-region, with all of the students coming from the region.
“I will therefore throw a challenge to you that in 2021, we should have more overall students in West Africa coming from Ghana and more from Greater Accra,” he said.
The minister made the remarks when he addressed students during a visit to his Alma matter, Osu Presbyterian Senior High School (SHS) prior to students starting their examination paper on Monday.
He was accompanied by a team from the Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) headed by the Regional Director, Monica Ankrah, who also visited the Ebenezer SHS.
Mr. Quartey appealed to students to not make waste of tireless efforts of teachers and the investment made by government into the Free SHS initiative that sought to make secondary education accessible for all Ghanaians.
He, therefore, anticipated that students would abide by all rules governing the examination and would have prepared feverishly to write an examination that would help them gain admission into any tertiary institution of their choice to pursue their dreams.
He expressed his appreciation to teachers for providing education to children while navigating the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The need to make Greater Accra Work is a collective responsibility. Let our efforts to create a disciplined society start with you (students)- a generation that would leave school proud as disciplined students determined to survive irrespective of where they find themselves.
“In fact, it would be very distressing to hear that after investing so much in your education, the end result is poor performance in the final examination. I do not wish that for any of you,” he said.
He further appealed to supervisors and invigilators to conduct the examination in a manner that would be conducive for students, adding that “I entreat you to observe all the COVID-19 safety protocols to protect yourselves from any infection during the period.”
The Regional Director of GES, for her part, advised students to comport themselves and not to over-celebrate and vandalise school properties after writing their examination.
“They should stay calm and go home after exams and not cause mayhem on school compound. They shouldn’t forget that where ever you go you will come back to your school for your certificate,” she said.
By Issah Mohammed