Thanksgiving service held for Okuapeman first batch of Free SHS graduates. Champion of Free Education Africa (COFEA), a non-government organisation, has held a thanksgiving service for the first batch of graduates who benefitted from the Free Senior High School policy at Okuapemman Senior High School, at Akropong in the Eastern Region.
The service was on the theme: “Celebrating First Fruits of Free SHS Tertiary Professionals.”
The COFEA is focused on championing the stability, protection, and appreciation of the Free SHS policy by the State and its broader vision is to encourage the implementation of the free education across the African continent.
Rev/ William Addo, the Executive Director of COFEA in an address said the objective of the service was to offer thanksgiving to God for successfully taking the students through the system and to express appreciation to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the policy.
He said: “Exactly seven years ago, the President is known to have made the Okuapemman Declaration when he bodily declared the Free SHS Policy in the school.”
He stated that COFEA is of the view that the Okuapemman Declaration had churned out academic and technical professionals, many of whom may have missed the opportunity.
Rev. Addo said the policy had offered many students from deprived communities the opportunity to access secondary education.
Rev. Richard Koranteng Afari, the Headmaster of the School said the institution said among its unique identities had long existed as an all-inclusive educational entity that give opportunity to all shades of students.
He said this year, the school has admitted 1,300 students made up of 12 visually impaired students.
Rev. Afari stated that despite the many existing successes chalked, the poor state of the school’s road from the gate continues to be a headache and appealed for its rehabilitation.
Bishop Benjamin Laryea, the African Director for Riversedge International in a sermon, urged the students to be thankful to God for the opportunity of the Free SHS which had taken away the burden of seeking funds for fee payment for many parents.
He advised the students to make beneficial use of the opportunity to achieve their God-given career aspirations.
Rev. Laryea asked them to make God their foremost priority in all that they do whilst in school, adding that they should live lives of righteousness and integrity to honour God.
Mr Lawrence Dzah, the Municipal Education Director, encouraged the students to focus on their books constantly without which they cannot achieve their aims while urging them to let discipline be always their watchword, and that the authorities would not hesitate to sanction deviant students.
Barima A.S Asiedu Larbi, the Municipal Chief Executive for Akuapem North Municipality said thankfully the days that students were whipped for failure to honour fee payment were gone.
He cautioned students not to abuse the opportunity to complete secondary education successfully, adding that they should seize the chance to soar higher in their career aspirations.
Barima Asiedu Larbi gave the assurance that the dusty untarred road which dent the success stories of the school would be tackled jointly by the Assembly, and stakeholders in due course to ensure go environment for teaching and learning.
Source: GNA
