WASEC 1988-year group supports alma mater

The 1988-year group of the Wa Senior High School (SHS) has donated assorted mathematics textbooks to its alma mater to contribute to improving the quality of teaching and learning in the school, especially in the area of mathematics.

They were 225 elective and core mathematics books valued at about GH₵24,000.00 from contributions of the members of the 1988-year group and some members of other year groups.

Speaking at a brief ceremony at the school in Wa at the weekend to hand over the books, Mr Abdulai Jalaldeen, a representative of the 1988-year group, said the initiative was part of efforts of the group to reciprocate the impact the school had on their lives.

He said they opted to donate the books to leave a legacy in the school that would benefit generations that would pass through that institution.

Mr Jalalde, a lawyer, called on the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of the school to increase its support to the school to help meet its challenges.

“We have realised that Mathematics is one of the subjects you must do no matter which class you find yourself in.

We are also mindful of the fact that government and the school alone cannot shoulder the responsibilities so the PTA and old students have a role to play”, he explained.

Madam Alimata Ali, also a member of the group, said Mathematics was an important subject that determined one’s choice of programme at the tertiary level.

She, therefore, encouraged the students to take the study of Mathematics very seriously and to make judicious use of the books.

The old students advised the students to be disciplined to succeed in life as it was discipline that brought them that far.

Dr. Abdulai Sakara, the Secretary of the Wa Senior High School Old Students Association (WASOSA), said old students played a very significant role in the development of their alma mater.

He indicated that the WASOSA would undertake some projects in the school “to change the face of WASEC and secondary school education in Upper West Region”.

Dr Sakara said the donation of the books was an opportunity for the old students to make an impact in the lives of the students.

He urged other year groups to emulate the good example of the 1988 year group by supporting the school in any way possible.

Mr Adam Iddrisu Thirdman, the Headmaster of the school, expressed gratitude to the old students of the school for the diverse support they had offered to the school over the years.

The support included the construction of a 2000-capacity auditorium for the school by a member of the 1970-year group, Mr Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament and the donation of a duplicator and two projectors by the 1980-year group.

Others were the renovation of a burnt dormitory room by the 2001-year group and the donation of a television and cash amount to the school by the 1998-year group among others.

Mr Thirdman observed that some students considered Mathematics as a difficult subject while others saw it as a simple subject probably due to the level of preparation and the resources available to the students and the teachers.

He, thus, urged the Mathematics teachers in the school to try to demystify the mysteries surrounding the study of mathematics saying, “There is nothing difficult about Mathematics.”

“Other schools will be yearning for this and we have got it, it is our duty to make very good use of these items”, Mr Thirdman indicated.

He explained that the problems of the school were enormous and could only be solved by tackling them bit by bit and appealed to the old students of the school to continue to support the school in overcoming its challenges.

Madam Vivian Nyekanga of the Wa Municipal Education Directorate, who represented the Municipal Education Director, thanked the old students for supporting the school.

She said the donation indicated that the old students had the students and the school at heart.

She urged the students to use the books with care for other students passing through that institution to benefit from them.