Kumasi Senior High Technical School (KSHTS) has launched activities marking its 35th anniversary with a major fundraising campaign aimed at mobilising resources to improve infrastructure and complete a number of abandoned and stalled projects on the school’s campus.

The anniversary launch, held at the school’s premises in Kumasi yesterday, brought together school authorities, students, teachers, alumni, parents, government representatives and other stakeholders who have contributed to the growth and development of the institution over the years.

The celebration, which is being held under the broader vision of strengthening the school’s capacity to provide quality technical and vocational education, is expected to provide an opportunity for old students and other stakeholders to support the institution in addressing its pressing infrastructure needs.

School Records Significant Growth.

Speaking at the launch, the Headmaster of KSHTS, Mr Yaw Twimasi, said the school had recorded remarkable growth since its establishment in 1991.

He said the school started with an enrolment of only 250 students and 12 tutors but had now expanded to a student population of 4,754.
The current enrolment, he explained, comprised 1,885 girls and 2,868 boys, reflecting the increasing demand for technical and vocational education at the institution..

Some scenes from the ceremony

Mr Twimasi said the growth in student population had also been accompanied by a significant increase in staff strength.
According to him, the school currently has 262 teaching staff and 63 non-teaching staff who collectively contribute to the delivery of teaching, learning, and other support services.
He attributed the achievements of the school over the years to the commitment of teachers, parents, students, alumni, and other stakeholders.
He said KSHTS had continued to make significant strides in academic and technical education despite the challenges associated with its expanding population.

Infrastructure Challenges.

The Headmaster, however, expressed concern about the infrastructure deficit confronting the school, saying the existing facilities were increasingly inadequate to meet the needs of the growing student population.

He appealed to the government, through the Ghana Education Service (GES), to support the school to complete some major projects that had stalled.

Among the projects he mentioned were the Assembly Hall, Dining Hall, and Boys’ Dormitory.
Mr Twimasi said the facilities were either incomplete or inadequate, making it increasingly difficult for the school to comfortably accommodate its growing population.

He also identified inadequate washroom and sanitation facilities as some of the major challenges confronting the institution.
The shortage of furniture for students, he added, was another pressing concern that required urgent attention to ensure a conducive environment for teaching and learning.
Fundraising Campaign
Mr Twimasi explained that the 35th anniversary celebration had therefore been structured not only as a celebration of the school’s achievements but also as a fundraising opportunity to mobilise the needed resources for infrastructure development.
He appealed to old students, corporate organisations, philanthropists, parents, government agencies, and other well-wishers to support the campaign.
He said the ultimate objective was to transform the school’s physical environment and create the necessary conditions for students and teachers to excel.
Mr Twimasi further appealed to the Mayor of Kumasi to assist the school with modern and hygienic sanitation facilities to improve the health and wellbeing of students.
Mayor Pledges Support
The Special Guest of Honour, the Mayor of Kumasi, Mr Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, acknowledged the increasing demands being placed on educational institutions as student populations continue to grow.
He said addressing the challenges confronting schools could not be left to government alone, stressing the need for collective efforts from government, educational authorities, traditional leaders, civil society organisations, private institutions, alumni associations and individuals.
The mayor urged students of KSTS to take full advantage of the opportunities available to them and remain focused on their education.
He encouraged them to develop the right attitudes towards learning and make good use of the skills and knowledge being provided by the school.
Mr Boadi assured the school authorities that the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) was prepared to support efforts to improve sanitation and teaching and learning facilities at KSTS.
20-Seater Toilet Facility
As part of the Assembly’s immediate intervention, the mayor pledged to provide a 20-seater toilet facility for the Boys’ Dormitory, together with additional sanitation facilities for the school.
He disclosed that procurement processes for the project were already underway, giving assurance that the intervention would soon materialise.
The commitment is expected to ease pressure on the existing sanitation facilities, particularly within the boys’ residential area, where the growing student population has placed considerable demand on available facilities.
Mr Boadi also pledged to provide chairs for teaching staff as part of efforts to improve their working conditions and support effective teaching and learning.
He said the interventions were intended to complement the aspirations of the school authorities and students and contribute to the overall development of KSHTS.
Call for Collective Support
The 35th anniversary and fundraising campaign, therefore, presents an opportunity for stakeholders, particularly the KSTS old students’ community, to rally behind the institution and help address its infrastructure challenges.
With an enrolment of more than 4,700 students, the school’s management believes that improving infrastructure is critical to maintaining academic standards and expanding opportunities for students pursuing technical and vocational education.
The anniversary celebration is consequently expected to serve as a platform to celebrate KSHTS’s achievements over the past 35 years while building stronger partnerships and mobilising resources for the next phase of the school’s development

Management expressed optimism that the support of government, alumni, parents, corporate Ghana, and other stakeholders would help complete the outstanding projects and provide the school with modern facilities capable of matching its growing population and ambitions.