School children in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region have been given renewed hope and encouragement that just like their counterparts in the bigger cities of Ghana, they too could achieve all their academic dreams of becoming various professionals in their desired fields.
The District Chief Executive (DCE), Honourable Stephen Aeke Akurugo gave this hope in Sirigu when he welcomed the first-time pupils enrolled in the Mother of Mercy Nursery and Primary schools; to mark “My First Day in School” event.
Honourable Akurugo said, “I see future nurses, teachers, directors and presidents amongst you; all you ought to do is to take your studies serious and obey the school authorities”. He assured the pupils and their colleagues across the District that Government, through the sector ministry and the education directorate will continue to fund existing sector interventions such as the school feeding programme, capitation grant and others in order to ensure a smooth and efficient educational system operation in the District.
According to the DCE, though the current conditions of the schools may not be the best as we would have wish, pupils of today are fortunate because of the proximity of the school infrastructure across the District. “During our time decades ago, we used to walk longer distances and cross rivers at times, just to access education”, He lamented.
He said that it is the resolve of government to pump more resources into the sector so that schools in the District will not be left out. For instance, there are plans to enroll additional schools onto the Ghana School Feeding Programme and the Assembly will ensure that is done to benefit more children.
In her opening remarks, the District Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Madam Mary-Magdalene Wompakea noted that the pupils have had enough rest and break from academic work during the six-week break and charged them to face the new term with a refreshed mindset and energy to learn well and make better grades.
She also quizzed the pupils on their career choices and having listened to them, was a bit disappointed that comparatively, just a few of them picked teaching as their desired job but regardless emphasized that, the teacher remains the solid foundation that builds all other professionals.
She thus advised the children; “at all times as pupils, concentrate on your studies, respect your teachers and listen attentively in class but ask questions where you don’t understand a thing or two”.
Madam Wompakea and the DCE later distributed assorted biscuits to the children and entreated them not to cultivate the ugly habit of skipping school as that will impact negatively on their performance.
Mr. Samuel Awiah, Headteacher of the school in the company of Madam Wompakea and the DCE inspected a fast-expanding cemetery that lies just about five steps from the school. Honourable Akurugo immediately proposed that the school be walled to keep the pupils safe from any harmful effects from the cemetery’s exposure and requested that there should be further discussions involving him, the GES Director, community leaders and the school authorities on the issue.
The Mother of Mercy school was established on 16th September, 2003 with a population of 128. At the end of the just ended term, the total population had hiked to 556. Meanwhile at the time of the DCE’s visit, the school had admitted a total of 13 pupils as new entrants into its Nursery. The number comprised 2 girls and 11 boys whilst the Primary had fresh enrollment of 15 pupils made up of 8 girls and 7 boys.

Source: Peter Atogewe Wedam, Kassena-Nankana West District Information Officer