Accra, Nov 6, GNA - The Achimota School on Saturday held its 83rd Annual Speech and Prize-Giving day to celebrate its academic and extra curricula achievements for the past year in Accra.

The ceremony, which was on the theme: Achimota - Empowering the Youth for Quality Statesmanship", saw the presentation of prizes to 73 students who excelled in various subjects at the Senior High School Department of the school in the previous year.

Six teachers who had been adjudged for their distinguished service to the school, which was established in 1927, were also presented with awards.

In her report, Mrs Beatrice Tsotso Adom, Headmistress of the school, said it (school) continued to pursue programmes to ensure academic excellence citing refresher courses for staff members and exchange programmes with foreign sister schools in United States and Germany for students.

"There was no West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations written during the 2010 due to the Four Year Educational Programme", she said.

She said the school beat Prempeh College to emerge winner of the National Independence Inter-School Debate Competition for the previous year.

Mrs Adom said the school had recorded a considerable progress in terms of infrastructure amongst others citing the assistance of the school's Parent Teacher Association and various year groups in rehabilitating former McCarthy House common room to be used as computer laboratory, rehabilitated a staff bungalow, donation of computers, and furniture.

Mrs Adom disclosed that "work has started on three building projects sponsored by the government. They include a Girl's Dormitory Block, a six Unit Classroom Block and renovation of the block which formerly housed the Animal Research Institute and the Art School". She expressed gratitude to the government for providing the school with 400 mono desks.

She, however appealed to the government to expand the school's assembly hall and Aggrey Chapel to appropriately accommodate the growing student population, which now stands at 2000.

She said because the school was not walled, its land was being encroached upon and its sewerage system destroyed as a result of construction of buildings and various businesses by encroachers on the system and called on government to come to its aid.

Ms. Iris-May Brown, who was the special Guest of Honour challenged the students to break all odds and emerge successful citizens as noted for students who passed through the walls of the Achimota School.

She called for values to totally develop the youth to become statesmen in future.

Madam Susan-Barbara Adjorkor Kumapley, a member of the 1985 year group of the school, urged the students to "Be passionate at what you do in whichever area you find yourself"' saying this was necessary for societal development.