The St. Joseph School at Maame Krobo in the Kwahu Afram Plains South District in Ghana’s Eastern Region has celebrated the Career Day and Graduation ceremony of its 5th batch of KG 2 Pupils at the new site for the School.
The July 30 double event featured various activities including march pass by the pupils from the present School site across the town and market squares to the new site, culminating in a symbolic and triumphant entry of the pupils into the new school compound for the celebrations. The march pass was aimed at creating awareness to the community about the event of the day
Other activities included the official opening of the new site by Rev. Fr. Peter Dadzie, Assistant Priest of St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Maame Krobo, some electrifying presentations by the pupils on different careers such as Law, Teaching, Medicine / Nursing, just to name a few.
There was also the award of certificates to the KG 2 Pupils that were graduating to Primary One and prize award to deserving pupils, cultural dances, as well as fundraising, to continue with the School Project, and get the place ready to accommodate the children come September this year.
In a welcome address, Rev. Fr. Saviour Seddo Darkey, the School Administrator said the ceremony was “to appreciate the hard work of the graduands, inspire our children on their career dreams, award some of them who exceled in some subjects and other fields, remind parents about their role towards their children’s’ education, as well acknowledge the efforts of our founder, Rev. Fr. Stephen Kofi Sakpaku and his team.”
Underpinning the pivotal role of homework in relation to children’s’ learning, Fr. Darkey encouraged parents to assist their children with their homework and ensure that it is done well, and should waste no time in coming to check from the School if they realise that their child persistently comes home with no home work.
He stressed that “Homework is extremely important as part of the academic work in the school. It is a means of ensuring that pupils get enough practice time, strengthen academic skills and develop the habit of self-study.”
He added that homework helps children to be self-dependent and outlined some achievements of St. Joseph School so far.
According to him, the school participated in Spelling Bee Competition organised for the Catholic Schools in Nsunyameye Circuit and took the first position, which gave them the opportunity to compete with other qualified Catholic schools in both Afram Plains North and South on 22nd November 22, 2022 where it won the fourth position.
The School again participated in last year’s National Junior Spellers Competition (Spelling Bee Competition), and two of the children qualified to the final stage organised on December 2, 2023 at Accra Methodist Parish Hall.
Also, the School was part of this year’s sporting activities organised on February 12, 2024, and even though it was their first appearance, their male football team was able to qualify to the semi-finals and one of the girls got the second position in one of the athletics.
The Administrator was also proud to mention that St. Joseph School was the very first school to begin Career Day celebration in the whole of Afram Plains.
Also, as part of self-reliance the School out of internally generated funds has started a structure for kindergarten Two (KG2).
‘‘We have also cultivated five acres maize farm for the school, started popcorn business, and also a temporal maize storage facility for storing the school’s crops or for rentals,’’ the priest continued.
Security wise, and for better monitoring, there are CCTV cameras installed in the present site, to check the school activities both in and outside the classrooms.
Despite the successes of the school, Fr. Darkey shared some challenges faced by the school which included the shortage of classrooms and delay or non- payment of school fees by some parents, due to poverty, which makes it difficult for the school to embark on certain activities.
He further shared some future plans of the school which are to complete classes five and six classroom Block, and begin Junior High School as well as a Technical School.
He acknowledged the care and guidance of the Almighty upon the school throughout the past five years, and recognized some benefactors and benefactresses who have been very instrumental to the growth of the school, and further appealed that they continue to help them realise their dreams.
The Administrator was grateful to the Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu SVD, Bishop of Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate, Fr. Sakpaku, the founder and father of St. Joseph School, Fr. Dadzie, the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Spirit, Kwesi Fante and the Parishioners of St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Maame Krobo for their material and spiritual support.
He was equally thankful to Madam Juliana Okoh and her husband Mr Stanley Okoh for helping to raise the present classroom block and the toilet structure, as well as giving scholarship to eleven of the pupils, the Marshallans, Mad Tina Asafo-Boakye, Mr Pakwesi and friends from the USA for helping fix the tiles and the toilet seats at the new site, and the Masukom group from Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Tema Community 1led by Uncle Jay for fencing the nursery compound and for their constant support to the church.
The Priest also extended gratitude to Uncle Frank Osei-Wusu for always ensuring that the Pick-up and School Bus are in good condition and for supporting other projects regarding the school, not, leaving out the indefatigable staff, PTA executive, and some individual children for always ensuring the wellbeing of the school.
The Graduation and Career Day celebration was chaired by Nana Nyakum Panin, the Chief of Maame Krobo, who was assisted by the Market Queen fondly called ‘American Lady’, and Mmerantie hene, Mr. Joseph Naadow, Chief of the Youths of Maame Krobo.
Nana Nyakum “We are part of the community, so we accept it as a responsibility to be here’’. He however solicited the support of all present to make the ceremony a great success.”
The Chief was thankful to the school management, teachers and PTA executive for organising such a ‘glamorous occasion’ and urged the school management to liaise more with the parents, to ensure the educational welfare of their children.
Dignitaries present at the Career Day and Graduation ceremony were Mr. Emmanuel Asenso, a PTA Executive representing Honourable Evans Kyei Ntiri, District Chief Executive of the Afram Plains South District; Sr. Victoria Tiernye, Missionary Sisters of the Holy Spirit, from Kwesi Fante, Rev. Ajyie Danso, Pastor of the Methodist Church, Maame Krobo, as well as Parents and Guardians.
St. Joseph School, Maame Krobo is one of the Catholic Private Schools in the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom. It seeks to promote high quality all-round education and discipline through effective teaching and learning to children of Catholic faith in particular and those of the general public, in an environment where Catholic principles form the basis of life and character.
The School was founded on September 24, 2018 by Rev. Fr. Stephen Kofi Sakpaku, a Priest of Accra Archdiocese, then serving in the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom, under His Lordship, Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (DEPSOCOM, Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom)
