Koforidua Senior High Technical School
Koforidua Senior High Technical School, also called Sec-Tech, is a Senior High School located in Koforidua in the Eastern Region of Ghana. As of December 2011, the school has over 2,200 students. The school existed as a Boys School since its establishment, until recently few girls were introduced of about 5% of the overall students population. Because of the initial boy population, the slogan Mmarima Mma really sufficed which means when transliterated, Sons of Men. (It is an Akan (Twi) language.) The number increased much within the time-period of the 4-year schooling program that was introduced by the GES of Ghana. Sec-Tech has over 120 active teachers and about 90 non-teaching staffs who are dedicated in providing the best available services to their students. The school is headed (known as Headmaster) by Mr. S.P. Foli (the first old boy to be appointed)who took over from Mr. Bempong J.K who hails from Akwatia (as at the time of writing), born in 1953. He headed this institute for over 9 years. The school has the largest stretch of land in Koforidua, if not the whole of Eastern Region. Most and bigger sporting events are held often in the school because of her spacious environment.
History
The school was established in the year 1967 by the then head of state Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. It was the second secondary technical school after Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS) in Takoradi. It also bore the name Ghana Secondary Technical School until in the 2000s that it was changed to Koforidua Secondary Technical School and finally to Koforidua Senior High Technical School in 2012.
It previously gave the chance to people who did not attend the school to further their studies by pursuing the A-level. Due to its beauty and conserved nature, it earned the name Eastern Varsity. In addition, the site plan of the school was believed to have been developed purposely to be used as the first public university in the Eastern Region of Ghana, but could not reach fruition. The school was started as a boys school but still had some girls pursuing the A-level. This brought about the idea that some girls were interested in the technical courses and so the school started admitting girls.The school was basically set up to feed the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
Courses
Koforidua Senior High Technical School offers science and technical courses. Courses offered are as follows
- Science-related courses - Biology, Physics, chemistry and information technology. HOD Mr. bekwi
- Technical-related courses - Technical Drawing, Building Construction, Metal Works, Applied electricity, Electronics, Wood works and Auto mechanics HOD Mr. E C Sraha
- General Arts - Akan language, Literature, Economics, Geography
- Visual Arts - General Knowledge In Art (GKA), Graphic design, Picture Making ,Economics and Leather works.
Facilities
Koforidua Senior High Technical School has over 35 complete classrooms in a separate two storey building. In addition, the school has two main chemistry labs, and the other known to them as a 'junior' chemistry lab. The Physics and Biology labs number same as the chemistry labs which are found in a storey, the main, and the other, in a normal building. One big Visitors Lounge is found roughly in the middle of the school active compound that provides some resting place for students during break times and other extra-curricular activities. Transit Quarters are also on campus to house teachers who are brought into the school to do their national service. Thus the name Transit Quarters. A Sick Bay also is found on the campus to provide basic first aid to ailing students before transferred to the hospital (Koforidua Central Hospital). Four Unit Block houses the students who are known to be boarders, those who stay on campus and leave only for vacations, basically.
The school has an old American bus, one Neoplan-like bus, and one Eicher bus. Aside these, another vehicle, known as the bone-shaker is used in carrying foodstuffs and other heavy materials including newly made desks from source to campus.
There is also a big carpentry workshop where all broken desks are repaired and maintained. Another interesting feature one easily finds on campus is a small building that houses almost every single tool used in clearing, sweeping and keeping the school compound in good shape referred to as the Tools Room. That facility headed one tutor called Mr. Agyene Christopher.
In September 2011 the problem of housing first year students came to fore and so the quest for a new dormitory and classroom block construction begun. Thanks to the late president H.E John Evans Fiifi Attah Mills, the classroom block was fully completed. It is an ultra-modern 12 unit storey which would give the first year's student a place of study.
Academics
Academically, the school is well-noted. The school is classed among the Class A schools in Ghana. Also, the school serves as a Science Resource Center. A school considered as a science resource center is meant to provide certain science related resources to other nearby schools. Such nearby schools will depend on their resource centers for their laboratory materials and specimens and tutions if required.
In 2011 the first four-year program badge of the school set an unprecedented record in making the highest passes in the West African Senior High School Council Examination (WASHSCE) with a maximum of 200 students getting A+ in all eight examinations. 488 students were registered for the WASHSCE and 485 students passed in eight subjects. Making the school the 2nd best in the Eastern Region after St. Peters Senior High School. The school has made great improvements throughout the years. In 2012, the results were impressive bringing out more than 16 students scoring 8 A's in the WASSCE examinations and many more number of 7 A's.
Sports and entertainment
In the field of entertainment, the school has scooped so many honourable awards in areas such as football, basketball and dance nationally. In 2011, KSTS took part in a national dancing competition organized by Coca Cola, Ghana. In such competition, the school place third on the national platform. In basketball, the school was awarded third in the Milo and Sprite competition, nationwide. The school periodically organizes what is termed 'frik'. The term 'frik' here refers to Symposium and Funfair'. It's a time where other neighboring schools are invited to come and do entertainment such as dancing, singing and other entertainment related events together. In 2010, November, the Ghanaian musician, D Cryme, was invited to take part in the ICT club/AFS club/Editorial board Symposium and Funfair. After about two three months later, another collaboration of clubs within the school organized another Symposium and Funfair which saw the presence of an old student of the school who is a TV presenter at TV3, namely, Gideon Aryeequah.
Averagely, a symposium and funfair is held three times yearly. At such events, opportunity exists for students from other schools to mingle with the KSTS students. In October 2013, the S.R.C Executives organized a 'frik' dubbed "Pink Sheet" with the help of the Entertainment committee which was one of Ghana's most successful funfairs recording about 30 schools. The S.R.C executives were Gyimah Kelvin - President, Kelly Yartey - Vice President, Kelvin Mensah - Gen. Secretary and Victor Avotri - Asst. Gen. Secretary, Micheal Agbogbo - S.R.C Organizer, Emmanuel Yorke - Organizer 2, Cobbinah Adu Kwasi - Financial Secretary, and the Entertainment committee was led by Barnabas Nomo, and Morrison Acquaye. Prominent 'Old Boys'
The money generated from the funfair aided in buying significant resources to support entertainment and the excess was used to renovate the basketball court. On Saturday nights, students are usually treated with current block buster movies or variety shows. This was really effective especially in the year 2013. And this culture has continued till this day.
In Pictures
MacBruce House
Conducive campus environment
Science Laboratory Block- Administration Block
External links
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