“NAVASCO- 50 years of True Light”

27-03-2011
Narration: The Vice President, John Dramani Mahama says government recognizing the importance of education in the country, has channeled a lot of resources into the educational sector and would not leave any stone unturned to see to the total transformation of the educational sector into a veritably tool for the development of knowledge –based economy. This assurance was contained in a speech read by the Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen Joseph Henry Smith at the occasion of the Golden Jubilee Anniversary celebration of the Navrongo Senior High School at Navrongo in the Kassena-Nankana District of the Upper East Region. The historical event which was on the theme: “ Navasco, 50 years of True light” attracted a number of dignitaries including the communication Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, MP for Navrongo Central ,Kofi Addah, as well as a host of other important personalities from the educational sector. Here is a report by Isaac Asare
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Report

The Navrongo Senior High school popularly known as ‘NAVASCO’ will forever remember Ghana’s first President , the late Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah as he wrote in the school’s visitors’ book on the day of its establishment, ‘’This school has a great future, I shall watch it progress with great interest”. These words from Dr. Nkrumah has left an indelibly virtue as the school continues to grow from strength to strength. Established fifty years ago on October, 26, 1960, with the motto” Lux Borealis, meaning the “Light of the North” NAVASCO has produced the greatest light that has illuminated the whole country. The school presently has 5 ministers of state serving the Mills administration and 14 parliamentarians with many others also blazing the trail in the high echelons of the public services in Ghana. The school now with a student population of 1,680 and 75 teaching staff humbly began as a mixed school with 97 students and four teaching staff including the first headmaster Rev. J.K Fiergbor. Moreover, the celebration of its Golden Jubilee marks a significant milestone in the history of the school. Delivering a speech on behalf of the Vice President, the Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Joseph Smith commended the school for its sterling academic performance over the years and subsequently, producing very skilled and responsible citizens in the various fields of endeavours. He described the theme for the occasion as appropriate since the school has impacted positively on the lives of its products. Lt. Gen. Smith was however not happy about the recent development of student unrest among some second cycle schools in the region, and Navrongo in particular, and called on students to be disciplined at all times and also channel their grievances through the appropriate quarters for redress and not resort to violent behaviours since it retards the progress of the school. He also urged the P.T.A and the school authorities to put their shoulders to the wheels in order to build upon the niche carved by the school. Lt. Gen. Smith noted that government in its quest to revamp the educational sector would not relent on its effort to transform the sector into a variable tool for development of a knowledge –based economy, and however assured the school of an ultra modern ICT centre, new science laboratory, a home economic block and a new girl’s dormitory. This, he explained, is essential since the policy of government has been to increase the enrolment of girls in schools as a way of empowering them to achieve their fullest potentials in society. He assured government’s continues support for the school and pledged to ensure that projects enumerated by the school are adequately catered for in the next budget. The Headmaster of the school, Mr. Patrick Tangonyiri, on his part, outlined a number of challenges facing the school and mentioned lack of discipline among students, inadequate funds for the construction of a fence wall for the school and inadequate supply of water as some of the major challenges. Mr. Tangonyiri therefore called on the support of individuals and organizations to assist government in that regard. He acknowledged the academic credentials of school since its inception and called on students to remain focus and discipline to achieve their desired goals. Awards in the form of citation were given to deserving past head teachers of the school, notably among them was the former headmaster, Mr. Collin Macdonald who serve the school from 1969-1980. Other deserving staffs and students also received awards of various kinds for their sterling academic performance. An amount of 70,000 Ghana Cedis was later realized at the end of an appeal for fund organized for the school. The MP for the area, Kofi Adda, provided the school with a set of brass band instruments and urged the school to call on him for any assistance due necessary. some past students of the school also contrituted their quota to assist their alma mater.
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