Tema, Feb. 16, GNA - Our Lady of Mercy (OLAM) Senior High School (SHS), in Tema, on Saturday, celebrated its 10th anniversary with a call on educational institutions to partner stakeholders in their various communities for support to ensure rapid development of their schools.

Mr Fosuaba Banahene, Administrator of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND), who was the guest speaker at the ceremony, which also marked the school's speech and prize-giving day, noted that schools that depended solely on their resources did not progress well. The anniversary is being observed under the theme, "Ten years of Educational Partnership, Prospects and Challenges." The OLAM Catholic Church in Tema Community one, established the school with the late Reverend Father Francis Beemsterboer and the late Aloysius Hoguth as founders.

Mr Banahene said as much as the GETFUND was determined to support the educational institutions to develop, their authorities should also make conscious efforts to complement this, since government alone with its numerous commitments, could not shoulder all the responsibilities. The administrator was delighted to note that ten years of existence of OLAM had seen fast development, but said more needed to be achieved and encouraged the authorities to go into partnership with the industries in Tema.

Mr Banahene urged teachers to upgrade their skills to be able to impart quality knowledge to students, who should be given adequate training for them to become competent citizens to contribute significantly to developmental growth in their adulthood. The Administrator advised students against the speaking of Pidgin English and encouraged them to rather learn the English language very well since every subject; either Arts or Science, revolved around the English language. He said without a good command of the language they would perform poorly in the other subjects. The Accra Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop, the Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer Buckle, advised students against indulging in social vices that tended to mar their lives and rather lead upright lives to brighten their future. He admonished them to cultivate the habit of self discipline, have respect for authority and other religions. They should also take advantage of the facilities available to develop their talents for their personal growth and that of the nation.

In an address read on her behalf, Mrs Victoria Opoku, Tema Metropolitan Director of Education, asked students to always obey rules and regulations of their schools, which were the right places to learn discipline. When they become disciplined at school, she noted, they would be able to respect the laws of the land as adults. Mrs Roberta Mary Appau, the headmistress, said the school which, started with nine teachers and 157 students now 630 students. She said though it founded as a Catholic private school, it was absorbed into the public system in 2001. Prizes were given to students who excelled in various subjects. Nii Adjei Kraku the II, Chief of Tema, urged parents to create congenial environments in their homes for their children to study and also visit their schools regularly to monitor their performance. Nii Kraku had earlier presented a cow, crates of soft drinks and water bottled worth GH¢1,000.00 to the school.