Vakpo Senior High Technical School has held its 2nd Speech and Prize Giving Day with a call on the government and other stakeholders to find a lasting solution to youth unemployment.
Mr David K. Dzontoh, Registrar, College of Education, University of Cape Coast who was the Guest Speaker, said the effective use of the human capital is at the youthful age.
Speaking on the theme: “The Role of Stakeholders in Achieving the Objective of Senior High Technical Schools Education in Ghana,” he said, the country’s educational system since introduction, has gone through series of changes intended to make those who acquire it useful to themselves, their communities and the nation as a whole.
Mr Dzontoh said the government, parents, teachers, students the community, districts, municipal and metropolitan assemblies, old students, religious bodies and regulatory bodies who are stakeholders in education all desire to produce useful graduates who would not be a burden on themselves, their parents or society.
He said senior high technical education is aimed at deliberately developing the mind to acquire practical knowledge and skills in industrial and scientific acumen, saying: “It is a vital way of developing human resource by creating skilled man power to enhance industrial productivity and improve quality of life.”
The Guest Speaker appealed to Ghana Education Service to review and update programmes in senior high technical schools to bring them in line with modern trends and practices in industry.
The Board Chairperson of the School, Mrs Patricia Akpene Tegbe-Agbo commended the headmaster, staff, parent teacher association, students and stakeholders for the commitment and contributions towards the development of the school.
She also lauded Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFC) for donating 15 desktop computers and accessories to the school’s computer laboratory.
Mrs Tegbe-Agbo expressed the Board’s gratitude to the Vakpo Traditional Council for donating timber for wood works in the school and also the old students association (VASTOSA) for providing a modern toilet facility.
She also commended the Children of Madam Regina Rejoice Tegbe, a retired educationist, who instituted an Excellent Award in her honour for doubling their sponsorship package for the overall best students and staffs.
Mr Adama Adziman, Headmaster said the school scored 100 per cent or 99 per cent in terms of academic work over the past five years, adding that “in terms of sports, the school, I can say, is the best in the District”.
He said since the inception of the school the walls and roofs have seen little or no rehabilitation by stakeholders.
“This is a serious headache to past and present administrations. We therefore like to appeal to the various stakeholders to come to our aid to give the school a facelift,” he said.
Other challenges facing the school include lack of a bus, fence wall, teachers’ bungalow and water.
He announced that VASTECH would celebrate its 25th anniversary next year and appealed to stakeholders to join the school to mark the Silver Jubilee in a grand style.
Other Programmes lined up for the speech and Price Giving Day included career guidance and counselling session which was led by the Right Revered Dr Edem Tettey, Moderator of the Global Evangelical Church and a former lecturer of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
The school also organised a clean-up exercise within the Vakpo Community, the market and the forecourt of the palace.
The speech and prize Giving Day was attended by high profile personalities including the Member of Parliament for North Dayi, Mr George Loh, who presented two sets of football jerseys, four footballs and an undisclosed amount for scholarships for some students and award for some teachers.
The North Dayi District Chief Executive, Mr Stephen Timinka, and Mr Mawusi Alex Buadi, and Ho Regional Director of Education.
The occasion was under the chairmanship of Togbe Asamoah IV who deputised for Togbuiga Gbogbolulu V, Paramount Chief of Vakpo.