Koforidua Feb. 18 GNA - Daasebre Dr Oti Boateng, Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, has advised Senior High School students to select French as one of their elective subjects. He said since Ghana shares common borders with French speaking countries, proficiency in the French language would give one a competitive advantage.

Daasebre Oti Boateng, who was launching the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Koforidua SHS-Ada in Koforidua said the study of French would take one far.

He appealed to students to acquire the requisite academic knowledge an= d to apply it faithfully to benefit themselves and society in general. He said that meant that the process of acquisition and application of knowledge to benefit society must be guided by the principles of morality, truth and good.

"The maintenance of Academic and Social records should also imply the setting of standards which serve as yardstick or index for measuring future performance. Constant monitoring of this process is important to ensure whether or not the standards are being met".

Daasebre Oti Boateng said if at any stage of measurement, there were significant differences, then remedial action should be taken to rectify th= e situation. "From time to time the yardstick set must be revised to reflect socie= tal and technological change".

He said he was happy to note that academic, social, sports and disciplinary issues were positively and vigorously being pursued and added that he had contributed towards the stocking of the computer laboratory, provided books for the library and helped in various other projects. Mrs Matildah R. Appiah, headmistress of the School, said the school whic= h stared in 1991 with an enrolment of 25 students now had a student populatio= n of 1,991 composed of 1,092 males and 899 females.

She said hitherto the school was the least regarded in the New Juaben Municipality and was known more or less as a Zongo School that admitted rejects from other schools.

Mrs Appiah said presently the story was different adding that academically, its results compared favourably well with many schools. "Our products can be found in tertiary, polytechnics, teacher trainin= g and nursing institutions". "In the field of sports, we are the toast of the municipality, for our sports boys and girls are always equal to the task," she said