The paramount chief of Dormaa, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Dr Agyemang Badu II, has praised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for introducing the Free Senior High School initiative.
He explained that the initiative had not only led to increased enrolment but quality as well, citing the Dormaa Senior High School as a good example of the impact of the policy. He said the school’s record of 21 per cent pass rate in 2016 now stands at 89 per cent by 2020.
Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Dr Agyemang Badu II gave the commendation during the speech and prize-giving day for the Dormaa SHS at Dormaa over the weekend.
The event brought together old students, the traditional authority and various stakeholders in the education space among others.
Awards were presented to deserving students for their feats chalked in various subject areas, as well as teaching and non-teaching staff for their dedication to work in the school.
Dormaa’s evidence
Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II also stated that the academic record of Dormaa SHS alone was a proof of the gains of the Free SHS, saying it had led to the majority of the youth gaining admission to various tertiary institutions across the country.
The Dormahene appealed to the government to help provide the required resources to strengthen the operations of the schools to continue with the training of the future leaders of the country.
He also appealed to the government to have a second look at the salaries and conditions of service of teachers in the country to help them feel happy to continue with their good work.
The Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, lauded the leadership of Dormaa Senior High School for turning around the school’s academic performance from a low to higher heights.
He explained that the school’s pass rate moving from 21.5 per cent in 2016 to 89 per cent in 2020 was worth commending and urged other schools to emulate the best practices leading to the turnaround of the Dormaa School.
“The Dormaa SHS turnaround is a true testimony of the impact of the Free Senior High School policy which has increased enrolment and quality of education as well,” the Education Minister said.
Transformation record
In 2016, 21.5 percent of their students qualified to go to the university, 2017- 50 per cent qualified, 2018-55 per cent qualified, 2019- 78.2 per cent qualified and 2020, 89 per cent qualified.
Additionally, he urged them to continue working as a team and redouble their effort for the school to be the best SHS in the country and cautioned them not to be complacent with the feat chalked.
He reaffirmed the President’s commitment to providing the needed resources for the provision of quality education in the country.
Dr Adutwum pledged to continue supporting schools in the country with the right policies and initiatives that stood the chance of transforming the nation’s economy through education.
The Education Minister urged all stakeholders in the school to continue working very hard to continue with improvement in the academic and other records of the school.
He challenged the leadership of the school to help increase the enrolment of students pursuing science in the school since science played a critical role in the transformation of the nation’s economy.
“Your future is in your own hands so be determined, work hard, remain focused and don’t relax. Take advantage of what is going on in the school to shape your future,” Dr Adutwum urged the students.
