President of the 1997 Year Group of the Old Achimotan Association (OAA), Akora Dr Papa Nii Maale, has urged all Akoras to contribute to fulfilling the Achimotan dream, “to develop the icons of yesterday, the pacesetters of today and leaders of tomorrow.”
During the handing over of the 1997 Year Group Legacy Project, the President highlighted some significant impacts of the Covid-19 on children’s education, describing it as the “new normal”.
He said, “We are all starkly aware of the devastation that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the lives of our friends, loved ones and even ourselves. According to the WHO, this brought with it many changes and hardships on countries globally and forever changed the landscape of work and lifestyle. People and organizations have been compelled to adjust to more efficient, remote ways of doing things. Not discounting the devastating loss of life, it has left in its wake, one of the biggest impacts of this “new normal” has been on education and its follow-up implication on children.
According to Akora Dr Papa Nii Maale, the impacts of covid on education motivated the OAA 1997 Year Group to make Achimota School an ICT Centre of Excellence through the Legacy Project. He disclosed that improving access to education and the readiness for the next level of education were the key principles that guided the project.
“Achimota School was by no means spared in this narrative. It, therefore, wasn’t difficult when the 1997-year group of the OAA chose this specific initiative guided by two principles: to help improve access to education today and prepare for the next level of education tomorrow. Being driven by that singular motivation to give a token back is what brings us here today. That single desire to ensure that Achimota School remains that bastion of knowledge and the Grey City on the outlaws’ hill continues to fulfil its destiny to develop the icons of yesterday, the pacesetters of today and leaders of tomorrow,” he shared.
“As I take my seat, it is my fervent hope that beyond today this initiative does not live and die with OAA97 but transcends generations and alumni. I appeal to all year groups for support to ensure that we achieve that dream of “Making Achimota School an ICT Center of Excellence,” he stressed.
On his part, Akora Joel Nettey, Vice President of the General Old Achimotan Association (OAA) tasked lawmakers and leaders in the country to put structures in place that will enhance the educational system in the country and enable students to compete on an equal level as students from other countries.
He said, “These students who sit here today at whatever age should be able to compete with their age mates anyway in the world; anyway, in Ghana, Africa and indeed anyway in the world. We need to ask ourselves whether we are putting in place systems that will enable them to come back and celebrate the evangelist and boost that they know the same thing as their colleagues from other countries. They are levelled with technological advancement and can compete on the same level. I think it is unfair for those of us in leadership making decisions to see this generation out, to continue passing them on and knowing that we are not empowering them to face the world. That is why I am very passionate about this initiative. For me, it begins a new journey towards making sure that our students here in Ghana are empowered to learn and compete.
