The Parents Association (PA) of the St. Charles Minor Seminary and Senior High School (SHS) in Tamale, recently donated various equipment and cash totaling GH¢56,000.00 to the school.
The donation included a mechanised borehole connected to a 10,000 litres capacity polytank, fifty pieces of metal mono desks, five laptop computers and GH¢8,000.00 cash.
Speaking during a brief ceremony at the school the Chairman of the PA, Chief Collins Mbah, explained that the gesture was to help address the perennial water shortage and inadequate furniture challenges of the school. It is also to support the teaching of Information Communication Technology and also reward teachers and instructors following the school’s splendid performance in the 2023 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Science and Mathematics Quiz (NSMQ) competition.
He said the government alone cannot provide all the needs of the school, and asked parents to support the school by partnering with government to create a congenial learning environment for their children.
He, however, advised the students to use the borehole, laptops and desks with utmost care and desist from the practice of destroying properties when they are to leave school. “Let the habit of destroying properties when you finish writing your WASSCE be a thing of the past” he told them.
The Chairman enumerated that the PA has in the past supported the school in diverse ways such as feeding, the supply of furniture, renovation of dormitories and classrooms, the construction of a 10-seater toilet,the NSMQ team, payment of voluntary security personnel and bed bugs control, adding that they also donated a polytank and 25 pieces of street lights, among others.
The Headmaster, Mr. Thomas Gbolo Toma, who received the donation, expressed optimism that it would impact teaching and learning outcomes. He, therefore, urged the students not to disappoint their parents in the impending WASSCE. He disclosed that the school scored 93.7 % in the 2023 WASSCE and was hopeful that the 2024 candidates would perform better. He on behalf of the board of governors, management and staff, thanked the PA for the donation.
The School Perfect, Master Timothy Awianab Akanyaawie, observed that besides disciplinary measures put in place by the school authorities, the availability of various items such as food, water and furniture also contribute to the success of students. He, therefore, expressed gratitude for the donation, promising that they will make good use and also take good care of them.
Present at the ceremony were some members of the PA, staff, as well as the Chaplain of the school, Rev. Fr. Robert Amegah Quarshie, who blessed the donations. The St. Charles Minor Seminary and SHS, the second oldest secondary school in the then northern territories, was established in 1953 at Wiaga in the Builsa North Municipality by the Missionaries of Africa with only 12 students. It was relocated to Tamale in 1955. The school has a current enrolment of 761 students with 59 teaching and 27 non-teaching staff. It has produced four Prelates namely, the late Most Rev. Lucas Abadamloora of Navrongo- Bolgatanga Diocese as well as the Most Revs. Paul Bemile, Bishop Emeritus of Wa Diocese, Philip Naameh of Tamale Archdiocese and Peter Paul Angkyier of Damongo.
