GIS launches 70th anniversary
The Ghana International School (GIS), the country’s oldest international school, has launched its 70th anniversary to be commemorated with a series of activities.
The GIS, formerly known as the Gold Coast International School, during its establishment in September 1955, is celebrating its platinum jubilee, on the theme: “Honour the past, celebrate the present, embrace the future”.
The anniversary is expected to bring together former students of the school across the country, and celebrate the longevity of the school which predated the country’s independence.
The celebration will also capture the evolution of the school, its achievements over the decades and some of its celebrated alumni and present students, among others.
Addressing the media during the launch, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GIS, Dr Mary Ashun, said the anniversary represented the educational ambition, international excellence and the vision of its founders and not only institutional longevity.
She emphasised that GIS represented one of the continent’s great symbols as it was one of the oldest schools established in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) prior to the independence of many countries on the continent.
Credentials
Dr Ashun added that the school identified itself as a pioneering multi-racial, non-sectarian educational institution, especially at a time there was revolution worldwide.
She touted the credentials of the GIS, saying it remained the first and only international school in Ghana to be accredited by both the Council of International Schools (CIS) in 2007 and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), while also being a member of the Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA) and the Educational Collaborative for International Schools (ECIS).
As part of the anniversary celebration, she said the activities lined up for the commemoration include a cake-cutting gathering with the school’s first-ever ceremonial cloth, with a coffee table book documenting school history and a documentary premiere at Silverbird Theatre today (September 2).
The CEO of GIS said there would be an alumni connect and act of community service, both in and out of the school’s campuses, as well as a sporting tournament with barbecue to climax the celebration.
Dr Ashun emphasised the commitment of the institution to provide exceptional international education to the Ghanaian public in the best environment possible, with state-of-the-art technology to provide leaders in all sectors who can compete on the global stage.
“Education is the key to producing tolerant citizens who will understand each other’s culture and resolve conflicts around the continent and the world over.
At a time when the world is facing wars, poverty and inequality, GIS continues to demonstrate that an African institution can be world-class,” she emphasised.
