Cape Coast, Feb.11, GNA- The First Female Executive Director of the African Development Bank (AFDB) Mrs Peace Ayisi-Okyere, has said the nation would be able to achieve sustainable development if its new educational approach is value-based.
She said a value based education would not only turn out responsible people, improved living conditions but it would also enhance the development needs of the nation.
Mrs Ayisi-Okyere said this at the 177th speech and prize giving day of Wesley Girls' High School in Cape Coast, under the theme A value Based Education for Sustainable National Development.
This years speech day was sponsored by the 1953, 63, 73, 83, 93 and 2003 year groups.
The 1993 year group, which is the main sponsors of the day, donated a modern sanitation facility and litter bins for all the dormitories as well as a set of musical instruments for the school cadets.
The 1973 year group donated a Mahindra four-wheel drive vehicle to the school to enhance the movement of the Headmistress.
Mrs Ayisi-Okyere, who was the guest speaker, underscored the importance of values in nation building and sustainable development adding that values like respect, honesty, truthfulness, compassion integrity, patience, tolerance, fairness and empathy were necessary but difficult to imbibe.
She said it required high level of discipline, commitment and dedication to acquire such values which is a framework for living in a society.
Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman, the Minister of Education who was the Guest of Honour, paid a glowing tribute to the founders of the school whose efforts, commitments and dedication made Wesley Girls School different from other SHS in the country.
She appealed to the current generation to emulate the commitment of the founding members of the school and give off their best to ensure that school achieves greater heights.
Prof Naana Opoku-Agyeman, an old girl, said the lack of resources did not stop the founding members from giving off their best, adding that they were true role models and had bequeathed enough values for all to build on.
Mrs Betty Djokoto, the Headmistress, commended the old girls and the Parent/ Teacher Association for their immense contributions towards the development of the school noting that without them the school would not reach this far..
She appealed to the old girls to move from the level of making donations and presentations to the level of mentorship, adding that they should not only wait to visit the school during speech days.
Mrs Djokoto expressed concern about the way the some of the girls were not observing values and attributed the situation to modern electronism and the world of computer which she said had taken over their lives and that if care was not taken schools would not be able to produce the calibre of women that the society needs.
On academic work the Headmistress said in the 2013 West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) the school recorded 58 straight eight A1s as against 96 in the previous year, noting that though the figure was low, the school got about a third of the national figure of 151 students who got eight A1s nationwide.
She said the school also took the first and second positions in West Africa and produced the best candidates in Science and Business and thanked the the PTA for its support which had contributed to the success story of the school.
Mrs Djokoto thanked the government for undertaking to build a new science block for the school which she said will improve upon the teaching and learning and appealed for the completion of the schools assembly hall which started 10 years ago.
Five old girls who have achieve laurels in society were honoured to serve as an inspiration for the younger ones and were each presented with a plaque.
They are Dr Mrs Ellen Hagan of the 1972 year group who won the CIMG-marketing woman of the year in 2011 and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Laine Services Limited and VLISCO Brand Ambassador 2013, Mrs Esther Cobbah 74 year group and marketing women of 2012 and CEO of Strategic Communication Africa (Stratcom), Ms Adelaide Ahwireng 75 year group and CIMG- marketing women of 2013 CEO of Fio Enterprise Limited.
The others are Mrs Juliana Nkrumah, 76 year group recipient of MBE award from the British Queen and Active Women advocate in Australia and a recipient of Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia and Reverend Mrs Vida Effie Acquah 72 year group CIMG- Marketing woman of the year 1992, CEO of Blessed School Complex Limited.
Students picked book prizes and teachers and non-teaching staff were presented with television sets and refrigerators.
GNA