Dolphyne calls for reinstatement of 30% SSS admission quota

Akwatia (E/R), Feb. 27, GNA - A former Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Florence Abena Dolphyne, has called for the reinstatement of the 30 per cent quota system reserved for students of local communities in Senior Secondary School (SSS) admissions under the new computerized selection system.

She noted that the quota system had allowed children from communities in which the schools were located to gain admission into local SSS.

Prof. Dolphyne, who was speaking at the 40th anniversary celebration of the St Rose's Secondary School, Akwatia, on Saturday, admitted that the quota system of admission was not always possible given the rather poor Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) performance levels of many children from public schools. She said since some of the children from rural public schools have potentials, in spite of their low scores, heads of Senior Secondary Schools mush have now had time to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the computerized system for assigning students to SSS and should now be in a position to make recommendations for improving on it.

Prof. Dolphyne observed that one challenge that posed a threat to the education of girls, especially in the rural areas, was the lack of female teachers in the villages, which had resulted in girls there hardly continuing their education beyond the basic level because they really had no role-models "who can effectively open their minds to the variety of careers that were available to women in the country. She, therefore, appealed to District Assemblies to sponsor, at least, an equal number of female and male trainee teachers from their respective districts so that the schools in the rural areas could have female teachers to mentor the girls in the basic schools and encourage their parents to let the girls continue their education beyond the basic school level.

Prof. Dolphyne told the students that society expected them to be responsible young women with a very high sense of integrity, saying in whatever careers that they chose, they would be expected to be dependable, truthful and honest.

The Headmistress of the school, Mrs Victoria Amaning, said the school's academic performance continued to be high from year to year, saying over 90 per cent of the students gained admission into Universities.

She referred to the 2005 SSSCE results and said the school achieved 97.4 per cent pass with 224 candidates out of the 268 candidates presented passing in all eight subjects, 31 in seven subjects, nine in six subjects, two in five subjects and also two in three subjects. Mrs Amaning noted that in 2000, the school produced the best candidate in the General Arts SSCE and in 2004, it produced the best candidate in the General Science and the overall best in that year's examination.

Prof. S.K.B. Asante, an International Consultant and Educationist, in his welcoming address, said throughout the 40 years of its existence, St Rose's had been almost second to none in terms of academic performance and particularly in strict Catholic discipline. Earlier, two projects, a two-billion-cedi three-story dormitory block funded by the GETFund and a 625-million-cedi place of convenience funded by the Parent-Teacher Association were inaugurated by the Koforidua Catholic Diocesan Administrator, Monsignor Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum. Feb. 27, 06