The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has commissioned a 15-unit classroom block constructed by the government at the Pentecost Senior High School (PENSEC) Koforidua.
The ceremony took place on Sunday, October 23, 2022, as part of the activities undertaken by the President during his three-day tour of the Eastern Region.
In his address, President Akufo-Addo reiterated his government’s commitment to the Free Senior High School programme.
Responding to the request by the headmaster, President Akufo-Addo promised to liaise with GETFund to build new dormitories for both boys and girls in the school to accommodate more students.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Peter Atta Gyamfi, in his welcome address, said PENSEC-Koforidua has worked tirelessly for the past twenty-two years to be among the top schools (Grade ‘A’ school) in Ghana.
He said: “I am happy to announce that the dream of establishing this school was nurtured in the year 2000 by The Church of Pentecost. This was conceived with the main objective to cater for the continuation of their products from the Pentecost Preparatory School.”
He added that the school was absorbed by the Ghana Education Service in 2016 as a government-assisted school, saying, “Our aspiration and efforts at Pentecost Senior High School, Koforidua is to support the continuous improvement of education delivery as inspired by the Free Senior High Education Policy in order to support human capital and national development.”
The headmaster assured the President that PENSEC was committed to supporting the government’s efforts to build a Free Senior High School Education in Ghana to positively impact the lives of the millions of Ghanaians who hitherto cannot afford secondary education.
According to him, the school keeps on growing numerically year after year to the present student population of over 2,200. However, he said, the school does not have any dormitory block built for the purpose as classroom blocks have been converted into dormitories for the boys, while a church auditorium has also been converted into a girls’ dormitory.
He appealed to the President to consider building dormitories for the school since that will help the school increase intake of students and thereby help the government to accelerate the achievement of the access component of the Free SHS policy.
The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, speaking at the occasion assured the President of the Church’s commitment to partner with the government in ensuring the socio-economic development of the country.
He emphasized that the Church will not relent on its effort to help make people’s lives better in the country through its social intervention projects.
Apostle Mike Kwame Etrue, the Koforidua Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, prayed to commission the 15-unit classroom block.
Present at the ceremony were some government officials, including the minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, his deputy, Hon. Okyere Baafi; Benjamin Oduro Asante (Regional National Service Coordinator), and pastors of The Church of Pentecost in the Koforidua and Effiduase Areas.
Report by Pastor Musa Yahaya.