The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr Eric Nkansah, has commended the Ridge Church School in Accra for integrating co-curricular activities into the school’s academic programmes.

He said apart from the school’s stellar academic training and achievements, it has also made co-curricular activities compulsory for all learners, an act he noted, was not only crucial for holistic training but a key requirement in the 21st Century teaching and learning.

“As education managers, we recognise the contributions of co-curricular activities in improving learning outcomes and helping our learners develop relevant soft skills necessary to succeed in society,” he noted.

Speaking at the school’s 67th Speech and Prize-Giving Day last Saturday [July 20, 2024], Dr Nkansah, noted that co-curricular activities offer numerous benefits to learners, including creating “a platform for learners to practically apply theoretical knowledge learnt in the classroom in real-time situations.”

In addition, he said, “When they [learners] work in group, our learners develop social skills and spirit of teamwork."

The event was celebrated on the theme: “The contributions of co-curricular activities to academic achievements.”

For the GES boss, co-curricular activities ignite critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication among learners, the “4Cs”, which learners need to succeed in school and outside the classroom “in this rapid technological growth.”

He said since the establishment of the school, the school has remained a beacon of academic excellence, character development, and holistic education at the pre-tertiary level in the country.

He charged the school to continue to maintain their academic standards, saying “I encourage you to embrace new territories, explore innovative teaching approaches, leverage technology, and foster culture of continuous improvement to ensure that Ridge Church School remains at the forefront of educational excellence for generations to come.”

Touching on some developments in the education sector, Dr Nkansah said the Ghana Education Service, working through the Ministry of Education has prioritised Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education across some selected schools in the country.

He said the Ministry of Education has operationalised seven STEM Senior High Schools and expanded and retooled science laboratories across existing SHSs in the country.

These STEM centres, he noted, are practical learning centres for “our learners in robotics, 3D printing, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and internet of things, among others.

Collaboration

The Principal of the school, Mrs Nana Ama Acheampomaa Badasu, in her address encouraged parents and guardians to always reach out to the school’s management in matters they have issues with.

“…in cases where our practices as a school are at variance with your expectations or experiences you have had from other schools, I recommend that your approach should be peaceful and open rather than belligerent,” she stressed.

She further encouraged parents to support the school’s efforts in raising disciplined, dedicated, God-fearing leaders for the next generation.

For Mrs Badasu, the school will continue to maintain its rigorous academic training in order to produce properly educated students for the country.

She commended all the stakeholders of the school for their continued support, notably mentioning the Church Council, Board, alumni and parents their generous supports.

Prizes

Guests at the event were entertained to various performances by the students. Also, deserving students, teaching and non-teaching staff were honoured for the dedication and hardworking.

The school also presented prizes to their best students in the 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for their exceptional results.