Winneba (C/R)-Ghana, Nov. 16, GNA – Winneba Secondary School has launched its 73rd Speech and Prize Giving-Day to create awareness among stakeholders of its achievements and challenges and as well honour students and hardworking staff at the event scheduled for Saturday, November 19.
The day under the theme, “Fostering Peace and Security through Quality Education”, would be held at the Aboakyer square of the school, with the 1992/94 old students being the main sponsors.
Mr Daniel Nunoo, Assistant Headmaster, Administration, on behalf of the Management, Planning Committee and Parent Teacher Association (PTA), launched the event after a six-hour health walk from the school through the principal streets of Winneba.
The team ended up at the palace of Neenyi Ghartey VII, Effutu Oma Odefe, where he officially informed him of the up-coming event and presented an invitation to him be the Guest of Honour.
He announced to the gathering that, there would be several activities during, which deserving houses would be awarded at a durbar to climax the event, adding that, all the various houses must fully participate to the success of the event.
Receiving the invitation, Neenyi Ghartey thanked the Management of the school and the planning committee and assured that God willing, he and the entire Effutu Traditional Council members will join the celebration.
Later in a chat with Mrs. Comfort Oti-Akenteng, Headmistress of the school, she recounted the history of the school’s establishment as a private school by name Ghana Secondary which later changed to Commercial Academy by one Mr Bortey in 1949.
She stated that as a result of managerial and financial problems, the students agitated for a take over by Ghana Education Service.
Dr Kwame Nkrumah heard the news, he ordered one Mr. A. J. Dowuona Hammond to leave Peki Ghana Secondary School to Winneba to mobilize the striking students, Mrs Oti-Akenteng, indicated.
According to her, it was with the help of the late Mr Kofi Agyare, the propaganda secretary of the then Convention People’s Party (CPP) of the Winneba Constituency that Mr Dowuona Hammond in May 1951 gathered some 21 students to a newly-built but partially vacant house known as Yeboah Memorial House, opposite the Winneba Commercial Bank to start a new school.
Mr Dowuona Hammond later renamed the Winneba Secondary School after getting a new premises for the school, in an abandoned wooden structure formerly used by Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) of the predominantly white officers of the Royal West African Frontier Force during the World War 11.
The acquisition of the premises was by the efforts of the then white District Commissioner, Mr Cameron, and Mr Kojo Botsio.
The school in better financial position, left the old YMCA wooden structure, which became the site for the Kwame Nkrumah Ideological Institute, the then Advanced Teacher Training College and later the South Campus of the University College of Education, now University of Education Winneba.
She called on all stakeholders and the old students of the school to join in their numbers to commemorate the day and also contribute generously to help address challenges the school encounters.
Mr Emmanuel Sam Odum, chairman of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and Vice President of the School’s Old Students Association (WOSA), thanked the Almighty God for paving the way for the event to take place this year.
Among the programme line-up are the inter-houses quiz competition on the history of Effutu and the school, general clean-up, games with old students who will also visit the dormitories to be abreast with the state of affairs, a grand durbar to commemorate the event and thanks-giving services.
