Kumasi, Oct 12. GNA-The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has pledged his support in the provision of infrastructure and other planning to improve quality education delivery at the Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School (OKESS), in Kumasi.
He said the school, which was one of the premier secondary schools in the Ashanti region, and happened to be his Alma Mata, had raised many distinguished personalities, and achieved a lot in both the fields of academia and sports.
There was, therefore, the need for him to assist the school to maintain its glory of being the best sports institution in the country and raise it to higher standards.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu was speaking at the 85th anniversary and Speech and Prize Giving Day of OKESS at Tafo, near Kumasi.
The occasion was on the theme “85-years of Holistic Education; The OKESS Story”.
The Asantehene said the school had produced great sports personalities such as Agyeman Prempeh, John Mensah, Sulley Muntari, Vida Anim, Fremah Wiredu and others and was named after his uncle, Otumfuo Osei Agyemang Prempeh II, who was known in private life as Barima Kwame Kyeretwie.
He said he owed it a responsibility to ensure that it was counted among one of the enviable and best standard schools in the country.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu, commended the board of governors, past students, and staff for working hard in making it one of the sought-after schools in the country.
He also promised to revamp the schools Information Communication Technology (ICT) Centre with computers and provide a toilet facility for the girls’ dormitory.
Mr. Simon Osei Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, said OKESS had over the past 85-years provided students in the community with innovative educational opportunities designed to meet the needs of the country.
He noted that the school had benefited from government in terms of infrastructure needs to ease congestion and facilitated a conducive environment for learning.
The government has built a 12-unit-class room block for the school and it has been named after the President. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.
The Regional Minister also pledged to support in beefing –up security in the school to ensure the safety of students.
Mr Ernest Owusu Ansah, Board Chairman, said the school over the years had lived up to its responsibilities as the premier secondary school in the region and won most academic and sports competitions in the country.
Popular among them was the National Milo Soccer competition, which the school had won for five times, higher than any other school.
He commended the past student’s association and other groups for helping to up-grade infrastructure in the school.
Mr Michael Mensah, Headmaster, said the current population of the school was 4460, with 179 teaching staff and 94 non-teaching staff.
He said the school had a respected reputation in academia and in sports adding that, most of its products were in various fields of endeavour around the world.
He called on the government and other stakeholders to come on board and help the school to reconstruct the sports complex to help unearth and nurture sports talents among students.
Source: Ghana News Agency
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