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2010 – 60 Jubilee Launch Speech – Daniel Kpodo-Tay, On Founding FathersMawuli School 60th Anniversary Launch (20th May, 2010) Theme: Mawuli School – Living the Dream of the Founding Fathers in Human Capital Development. 1. Nana Chairman, Members of the Board of Governors, the Headmaster, PTA Chairman, OMSU President and Members, i.e Haviwo, Hanowo Kple, Hagawo, Staff and Students, Distinguished Guests, Ladies And Gentlemen. 2. I am delighted sharing in this joy on this memorable occasion. I am more delighted to be performing this function because I am one of the pioneers who attended Mawuli School. I was in the 3rd batch admitted in 1952 and completed in 1956. My school registration number is 236. In those days we were often called by our school numbers. 3. One of the ideas of the establishment of Mawuli School was mooted by a minister of the word and the first headmaster was also a reverend minister. So was it with the genesis of Mawuli School. Like a tiny mustard seed, it has germinated and sprung forth to blossom to the glory of God. 4. In 1948, the EP church synod committee on behalf of the church applied to the ministry of education to open the first secondary school in the Volta Region. The proposals were accepted subject to the availability of experienced qualified staff. The church took up the challenge and went ahead with the preparations. 5. On 21st August, 1948 Prof Emeritus C.G Baeta announced to the synod committee that permission had been granted to start the school in January 1950. In November 1949, the permission to open the school in temporary premises was confirmed. This premise was built by my father who was a building contractor. This information of having the premise fuelled the preparation towards the opening of the school on the appointed date. 6. The school was thus opened in January 1950 under the headship of Rev. W. P. Trost with a few qualified staff and pioneer students numbering 34. They formed the nucleus of the E.P. Church Mawuli Secondary School. The name Mawuli School was adopted in May 1950. Mawuli School stands tall on a land generously donated by the Glalah Family of Ho Ahoe as its permanent premises with a population of 1351 presently. 7. Nana chairman, what is the dream of the founding fathers? Mawuli School was established not just for the sake of having a school to the E.P church. The purpose is explicitly stated in the constitution of the school. The school shall be a Christian institution whose primary purpose shall be to train Christian men and women to serve Christ in the many different walks of life, pupils of all religions may be admitted into the school. 8. The second idea is that Mawuli School is to train the men and women i.e. me and you the MAWULIAN to lead the Volta Region with Ghana in its journey of growth and establishment 9. Before Ghana or the former gold coast achieving its independence in 1957, by plebiscite the former British mandated Togo land now the Volta Region accepted to be part of Ghana and not Togo land. It was accepted by Ghana and was granted its independence with Ghana. This British mandated Togo land (Volta region) was formally a German colony. When Germany was defeated at the World War 2, it was taken over by the British who also then were the colonial masters of Ghana. As mandated colony it was not developed. The highest school education then was the standard 7 or the middle school leaving certificate and also the teachers training certificate. With the achievement of this independence, men and women as you and I are needed to take on the mantle of the development, leadership and making the Volta Region and Ghana really independent. That is, to be our own rulers, self sufficient and look to ourselves for everything as we have all the resources at our disposal. It is 60years now and where are we as Volta Region? 10. Nana Chairman, Has the school upheld this vision of the founding fathers as the anniversary theme portrays. The theme is “Mawuli School – Living the Dream of the Founding Fathers in Human Capital Development”. 11. Mawuli School was the 6th secondary school to be built in Ghana and the first in the Volta region. 12. All the top secondary schools were in Ghana and were established by the churches and the colonial government. The E.P church was the pre-dominant church in the Volta region then and this responsibility of establishing this needed secondary school was hers. In Ghana the secondary schools were established in this order as follows: Serial No. School Founder Year
13. Mawuli School is a very young institution as compared with other schools which are centenarians and even older. Notwithstanding her youth, she is one of the best reputed schools in the nation turning out the very finest professionals and would continue to produce more. 14. Just as perfection in any endeavour is hard to attain, Mawuli School has had her fair share of short comings and challenges. For the past few years, the school has had problems with inadequacy of infrastructure. These have in no small way, affected the academic excellence. 15. THE WAY FORWARD 16. Nana Chairman, the current administration, staff and students should not loose sight of the fact that those before them had made a name for the school. I thank and plead with the school authority, staff and administration to continue the good work they are doing of training the students, taking note of the school’s motto, HEAD, HEART HAND and the school colours. I remember at my time at Mawuli School, the two (2) most important kits or tools you should and must have are the HOE and the CUTLASS. I am sure the tradition has not changed. 17. With the given purpose in mind the training of the Mawulians is different. As a Mawulian, you are trained to use your head, heart and hand; you are trained to be the leader and not a follower. You are trained to be the light of the world and not someone to hide (one’s light) under the table. You are trained to brighten the corner wherever you are and always, to be a SUN BEAM wherever you go. You are trained to give leadership by example. You are trained to use your hand to know the dignity in labour. You are trained to know that you have to sweat before you eat. No Labour No Eating. You are trained to now Christ and accept Him as your personal Savior and be a BORN AGAIN child of God. 18. Nana Chairman, another aspect of the training to the Mawulian is the emblematic use of the school colours of the green and the gold. The green colour represents the youthfulness (energy to work). It represents the rich agriculture potential of Ghana and the Volta lake and rivers at our disposal to make the region and Ghana rich. As a mawulian, you are the one, you are the key to make this to happen. You are the one to stop us as a nation with pan in hand begging for and from nation to nation 19. The Volta Lake is a gold mine. Let us take full advantage of it for better Ghana, better Volta Region success. We have the minerals, i.e. the gold, bauxite and diamond. We should not be seating on them and be poor. As a Mawulian with your education and training, you are the one the resource person to lead us into these riches. You are already doing it but we want to have more of it. Ayeko! The Mawulians are living the dream of the founding fathers in human capital development. Nana Chairman, you a Mawulian seeing you and your performance in life. You are a good example of the Mawulian living the dream of the founding fathers in the human capital development. The Mawulians are occupying key positions in the society. They are performing their responsibilities well. Just to mention a few Mr. Ben Bebaaku -Mensah is the secretary to our President, Professor Atta Mills. I have represented Africa as one of the five architects of the world. The list will continue without ending. Finally Nana Chairman, I, Daniel Sydney Kpodo-Tay is an old Mawulian and a HAGA for that matter, the founder and father of the old Mawulian students union (OMSU). WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I HEREBY FORMERLY LAUNCH TODAY, THE MAWULI SCHOOL’S 60TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY. THANK YOU. |