Tamale: President John Dramani Mahama has broken ground for the construction of a 5,000-seat multipurpose assembly hall complex for Ghana Senior High School (GHANASCO) in Tamale. The project, which is the first of its kind in Ghana, is to help meet the growing population needs of the school.
According to Ghana News Agency, President Mahama and his wife, First Lady Lordina Mahama, both alumni of GHANASCO, attended the school's 65th Anniversary Celebration on the theme: 'GHANASCO at 65: A Legacy of Excellence, Inspiring Future Generations'. The school, which started with 70 students and a handful of teachers, now has a population of 4,524 students supported by 172 teachers and 52 non-teaching staff across six academic departments.
Construction work has also begun on an ultramodern astro turf project, spearheaded by First Lady Lordina Mahama. Other projects sponsored by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) include a two-story, 12-unit classroom block, a two-story boy's dormitory block, two 12-seater toilet facilities, and the rehabilitation and equipment of the science laboratory. Additionally, the President commissioned a SMART Classroom Block.
In his keynote address, President Mahama highlighted one of the major setbacks of the Free Senior High School (SHS) initiative, which is the lack of dedicated funding. He indicated that timely funding now allows schools to provide nutritious meals to students. He also discussed plans to resolve issues with the school placement system by improving infrastructure in category C and B schools to elevate them to category A status.
The President announced that the 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government would focus on selecting the first 30 category C schools for infrastructure development. This includes building science laboratories, dormitories, and STEM laboratories to enhance these schools' capabilities.
Furthermore, 30 abandoned E-Blocks from his previous administration are set for completion in next year's budget. The government also plans to establish poultry and livestock farms in secondary schools, including GHANASCO, to provide sustainable food sources for students.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education, announced plans to deliver 2,000 pieces of furniture to GHANASCO and other schools by December 31st. The GETFund will also procure buses for about 50 schools, including GHANASCO, by 2026. Efforts are underway to provide vehicles for headmasters without transportation.
GHANASCO Headmaster Mr. Douglas Haruna Yakubu expressed gratitude to President Mahama for the 30-seater bus and thanked First Lady Lordina Mahama for constructing the Lordina Mahama Hall for female students. Alhaji Ibrahim Abdul Fatawu, President of the Old GHANASCANs Association, expressed delight at the progress of the school's infrastructure projects.