The Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Basic School (OLAS) ‘2’ at New Achimota in the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, has been adjudged the best performing School in the Greater Accra Catholic Education Unit in the 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
One of the 2023 BECE graduate of OLAS ‘2’ School also received a Presidential Award during the 67th Independence Anniversary Awards on March 1, 2024 at the Accra International Conference Centre for excelling in the BECE.
This is not the first time OLAS had been adjudged as the best in BECE. In the 2018 BECE, OLAS took the first position ahead of Star of the Sea RC Basic School at Dansoman and the St. Stephen’s RC Basic School at Darkuman, the second and third runners-up positions respectively.
Information made available to Newswatchgh.com from the Accra Catholic Education Unit Office at the Holy Spirit Cathedral at Adabraka indicates that OLAS ‘2’ was the best in 2023 BECE among 86 Public and Private Catholic Basic Schools in Accra. There are 19 Private and 67 Public Basic Schools in the Region.
The St. Bernadette Soubirous School at Dansoman and St. Theresa’s School at Kaneshie took the second and third positions.
The announcement of the good news to parishioners of Our Lady of Assumption Parish by the Local Manager was received with great joy especially those who had their children in their Parish School. The School has Rev. Fr. Francisco Machado, MCCJ as the Local Manager and Mrs. Martha Kyeraa as the Headteacher.
The fourth position for the 2023 BECE performance went to the St. Stephens RC Basic School at Darkuman; fifth, St. John the Evangelist School at Adenta; sixth, Christ the King International. School at Cantonment; and seventh, Bishop Bowers School at Laterbiokoshie.
St. Joseph’s RC JHS at Fise, near Pokuase took the eighth position with St. Anthony RC Basic School at Fishpond and Prince of Peace RC Basic School at Kwashieman taking the ninth and tenth positions respectively.
With the performance of OLAS ‘2’, stakeholders of the School, the Local Manager, School Management Committee and the PTA are hopeful that this feat would continue to put the School on the higher pedestal.
The Our Lady of Assumption (OLA) Catholic Basic School was established on September 28, 1993, as a Private School after it was officially inaugurated by the Most Rev. Dominic Andoh, Archbishop Emeritus of Accra, under the headship of Mr. Paul Arden Kumah, the first head teacher.
The School started with seven boys and 12 Girls in Primary one. The Junior High School (then JSS), was opened on September 1, 1999, with an enrolment of 32 boys and 37 girls. It was absorbed into the public system on September 17, 2002.
OLAS as it is called presented its first batch of JSS three (3) students for the BECE in 2001/2002 academic year which they all performed creditably. Almost all of them had their first choice Schools at mostly Catholic Schools including Pope John’s, Bishop Herman, St. Peter’s, St. Mary’s, St. Augustine’s Holy Child, OLA Girls, Ho, St. martins. Adoagyiri and other top Schools in the country.
The Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus, a Missionary Congregation in charge of the Our Lady of Assumption (OLA) Catholic Church, took over the supervision and administration of the School on September 1, 2001 and until 2008, the administration was split into Primary and JHS departments.
The head teachers since its establishment from 1993 to 2002 are Mr. Paul Aden Kumah (28/9/1993), Mad. Agatha Awuah (11/1/1994), Mr. Selormey D. Bernard (27/9/1994), Margaret Nyann (1/6/1995), Sr. Mary Brigid Agbenyo, HDR (24/9/1996), Mr. Peter K. Amoah (14/10/1997), Mr. T.K. Acheampong (13/10/1997), Mr. Francis Nana Amoah (8/1/2002), Mrs. Agnes Opoku (17/9/2002).
The Comboni Missionaries took over the supervision and administration of the School on September 1, 2001 under Rev. Fr. Francisco Machado until 2008 when the administration was split into two, Primary and JHS departments.
Following the split, Mr. G.A. Atayi was made the headteacher of the JHS department while the Primary department was placed under the headship of Madam Monica L. Gyamfi.
Mrs. Monica Hammond took over the mantle from of the JHS department from Mr. G.A. Atayi in September 2010. In 2015, Mrs. Ernestina Owusuaa Boadu took over the Primary Department from Madam Monica Gyamfi who was then going on Inter-Regional transfer.
During the 2016/2017 academic year, the School went through another transition and the school was divided into two (2) streams: OLAS ‘1’ and OLAS ‘2’ with Mrs. Monica Hammond as the headteacher of OLAS ‘1’ Basic and Mrs. Ernestina Owusuaa Boadu as the headteacher of OLAS ‘2’.
On October 26, 2018, Madam Monica Hammond of OLAS ‘1’ handed over the administration of the School to Mr. FrancisTornyenyo Deh while on same date, Mrs. Ernestina Owusuaa Boadu of OLAS ‘2’ handed over to Madam Sylvia Esinu Odzor.
With the departure of Mr. Francis Deh and Madam Sylvia Esinu Odzor on transfer, Mr. Shelter Amrago and Ms. Letitia Mensah acted for OLAS ‘1’ and ‘2’ respectively in the 2020/2021 academic year.
In May 2021, Mrs. Francisca Ocloo Amoah was appointed the headteacher of OLAS ‘1’ and Mrs. Martha Kyeraa for OLAS ‘2’.
The School takes part in all activities such as Carols, Sports, Educational Procession by the Catholic Education Unit, and Ga North Municipal Assembly. During Catholic Education Week celebrations, the pupils and teachers process to educate the community on the importance of education. The School has received Awards notable among them are the Presidential Award won by Peace Ahiawodzi in 2006 for excellence in the BECE.
In 2007, the Head teacher, Mrs. Agnes Opoku won the Ga West Municipal Assembly Best Head Teacher Award while the Best Mathematics Teacher was also won By Mr. Francis Nana Amoah.
As part of its activities, the School over the years had a link with a School in the United Kingdom of which they had exchange programmes more especially in sports. Holy Mass is celebrated on Wednesdays and Fridays for OLAS ‘1’ and ‘2’ respectively.
The School takes part in extra-curricular activities such as Carols, Sports, Educational Procession by the Catholic Education Unit, and Ga North Municipal Assembly. During Catholic Education Week celebrations, the pupils and teachers process to educate the community on the importance of education.
Over the years, OLAS has maintained 100% record in the BECE and the most recent are the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
OLAS is a Basic Education Examination Certificate (BECE) Centre for Basic Schools in and around New Achimota. It has an Information Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory resourced with computers.
For the first time in the history of the School, an election was organised to elect School Prefects using the Electoral Commission of Ghana materials and procedures which was telecast on TV Africa Prime News.
A class six pupil was a host of a TV Africa Reality Kids Programme “Amazing Love”
OLAS ‘1’ and ‘2’ have a strong Parents-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and School Management Committees (SMCs), who visit and support the School regularly.
The PTA has immensely supported and invested in the running of the School over the years by donating a fully furnished ICT lab stocked with computers, classroom expansion and maintenance, constructed an incinerator and paved the school, frequently and constantly provides teaching and learning materials, among many others.
By Damian Avevor
