The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Elizabeth Kwatsoe Sackey has lauded the decision by the government to grant the Accra High school a boarding status. 

This according to her would help improve the quality of education as well as the personal go growth of the students.

"Living away from home and residing on campus in a dorm setting provides invaluable opportunities for personal growth as it instils in students certain life skills such as time management, independence, discipline, confidence etc," she said.

The first female mayor of Accra who is also a past student of Accra High said this on Saturday when she accompanied the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to launch the centenary anniversary of the school, at its forecourt with a call on all to rally behind the government to prepare the youth to take the mantle of leadership of the country.

Established as a private institution with eight students in the Eastern Province of the Gold Coast at Aayalolo in Accra on August 17, 1923, Accra High School is the oldest secondary school in the Greater Accra region.

The Mayor of Accra who was the Chairperson for the event urged all stakeholders to support the management of the school and students to be disciplined to ensure a successful student life adding "discipline in students’ life attracts all the right things and that will make you attain success in all fields of your lives."

The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who was the guest of honour paid tribute to the founders of the school, particularly Rev. James Thomas Roberts, Barrister J. A. Glover Addo, Dr E. V. Nanka Bruce and John Buckman.

He also expressed appreciation to past headmasters and headmistresses, tutors and all who had, in one way or another, contributed meaningfully to the success of the school.

He said 100 years was a great milestone in the history of an institution and urged the authorities of the school to use the occasion to chart a new chapter for the school.

He mentioned the free SHS policy as one of the measures put in place by the government to enable many young girls and boys to acquire secondary education adding that the policy had also brought great relief to parents and said the government was undaunted and would, therefore, continue with the policy.

"We cannot afford to disappoint our country's youth and future leaders. So far, so good; the free SHS has seen the enrolment of hundreds of thousands of people, boys and girls who, otherwise, could not have attained SHS education," he said

“We are also very pleased that as a result of the free SHS, more girls have enrolled and there is now gender parity in SHSs across the country,” Dr Bawumia added.

The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, who was also in attendance said the introduction of the free SHS and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) was a means to the total transformation of the country.

He said the government was also focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) schools to increase the number of students doing STEM-related programmes at the SHS and tertiary levels.

The headmistress of the school, Ms Evelyn Sagbil Nabia, expressed appreciation to the government for the various forms of support to the school and mentioned that her vision was to elevate the school to a first-class institution by providing holistic education for students through innovative teaching methods by a well-motivated staff.

She also appealed to the government to help renovate all structures, including the boys' and the girls’ dormitories, construct a new administration block and more staff accommodation and provide vehicles to facilitate effective teaching and learning.

Dr Bawumia later unveiled a logo for the anniversary on the theme: “Accra High School at 100: The state of education, the school and the future.”

Activities earmarked for the year-long celebrations include a fun fair and homecoming, lectures, a founders’ day, a health walk and screening, an exhibition and a grand durbar in November next year to climax the celebrations.