SOGASCO marks 60th milestone : Vice-President, Education Minister grace occasion

The Sogakofe Senior High School (SOGASCO) is gearing up to support its alma mater to climax its 60th anniversary and speech and prize day on Saturday, November 26, this year.

The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, some Members of Parliament (MPs), including that of South Tongu, Kobla Mensah Woyome, traditional leaders, the District Chief Executive, Seth K. Agbi, among others are expected to grace the occasion to honour the achievements of the school and plan ahead.

The school, set up under the Ghana Education Trust, SOGASCO opened its doors to students in the Volta Region, and across the country, in 1961.

This paved the way for the first batch students to complete the school in 1966.

When it started in November 1961, SOGASCO had 13 students; nine boys and four girls, but the number rose to 28 in December 1961.

Since then, the school has not looked back but trained thousands of top notch human resource who have gone on to make impact in all spheres of the society, home and abroad.

Currently, the school also has a Kindergarten, primary, junior high and hosts a Distance Learning Centre of the University of Education Winneba.

With student population of 3,606, SOGASCO has 220 staff; made up of 146 teachers and 74 non-teachers.

Old students support

Old students of the school, who converge under the SOGASCO Old Students Association (SOSA) umbrella, have played significant role in the development of the school and the training of students.

They have been strong particularly in the provision of infrastructure and social amenities, supporting the school administration to resolve challenges that require national attention and generally serving as a pillar of cloud behind the institution.

Projects

Some of the projects SOSA has executed include the tarring of the road from low-cost bungalow to campus and around the oval, flooring the dining hall with Terrazzo and the construction of the School Gate, which the old students boasts of as being ‘arguably the most beautiful school gate in West Africa’.

In addition, some year groups and cluster groups have provided various facilities for the school.

For instance, the 1979 year group has built a housemistress’ bungalow, the 1993 year group constructed a refectory to serve as a port of congregation and refreshment for visitors, staff and old students. The year group also renovated the kitchen lavatory.

Again, the 1994 year group tiled the multipurpose hall stage and also renovated the Guest House and Sick bay.

The 1994-2004 year groups also renovated a block which has become known as the “Six Form block” of the school, while the renovation of Girls Dormitory Annex was conducted by the 1981-1985 year groups in collaboration with SOSANA and the 1985 year group.

The 1998 year group also donated 21 three-in-one bunker beds, with other year groups presenting items such as television sets, a chest freezer, a projector, computers and marker boards by year groups and chapters.

The Vice-President and other dignitaries will unveil the anniversary project, a two-storey Information and Communications Technology (ICT) block, which will also host the school library and other offices.

The project, which is under construction, will have a library hall, ICT laboratory, classrooms, offices and other ancillary services.

When fully completed, it would serve as an ICT hub for other schools in the district for a common learning and development, self-actualisation and national growth.

The school management, under the leadership of Newman H. K. Dziedzoave, also undertook a number of projects with its internally generated funds, including the re-roofing of the administration block, the construction of 64 point ironing bay, the construction of four-unit single bedroom self-contained bungalow for staff, the replacement of all steel tanks with poly tanks and repairs on three bungalows.

The school also procured 30 additional uniforms for cadet, uniform for the brass band and other musical instruments, and two sets of waiting chairs for visitors.

Activities

Ahead of the durbar on Saturday to celebrate the anniversary and award some prizes to staff and students, there will be a general cleaning of the school by students, visit of some important projects in the school by the board, school management and SOSA executive on Monday, November 21, this year.

In the evening of that day will be a candlelight procession through principal streets of Sogakofe, the capital of the South Tongu District. The events will be repeated the following day.

On Wednesday, November 23, this year, there will be an inter house Science and Maths quiz competition, a photo gallery and exhibition and sale of anniversary items and Mr and Ms SOGASCO.

There will also be anniversary inter houses games, a lecture on the topic, “Leveraging ICT Education for National Development”, the theme of the anniversary, and congress and socialisation on the eve of the anniversary day, before the old students will dance away the day at a ‘borborbor’ night.

Headmaster

The Headmaster of the school, Mr Dziedzoave, said the current management was practicing participatory leadership style in administering the school with reference to the structures to make SOGASCO an excellent centre of learning.

That was to ensure improved and holistic performance of students in a disciplined and adaptive environment, he said.

“This is seen in prudent financial management practices with judicious use of resources for effective results,” Mr Dziedzoave added.

Come on board

The President of SOSA, Maxwell Lukutor, told the Daily Graphic that the old students had many other projects up their sleeves for the school.

He urged all old students of the school to come on board as individuals and year groups to offer help to uplift the image of SOGASCO.

“Our major concern after the little contributions we offer is to see the school produce excellent results in all aspects of life; academic and co-curricular activities,” Mr Lukutor, a geodetic engineer, licensed surveyor and entrepreneur, stated.