Dr Lawrence Tetteh, an International Evangelist and Economist, has called on the government and the university authorities to break the annual impasse about agitations for research fees between lecturers and the Executive.

He said no tertiary institution worth its sought could carry on with academic work without intensive research and it is a shame that university lecturers, express disquiet about research fees sometimes leading to industrial action, before government responds to their demands.

Speaking at the 75th Anniversary of Odorgonno Senior High School (SHS), as a Guest Speaker, he said the universities must also be proactive to find alternative sources of funding their research activities.

Dr Tetteh, an old student of the school spoke on the theme for the anniversary: “The role of reading and research in attaining academic excellence.”

Dr Tetteh, Founder /President of the UK-based Worldwide Miracle Outreach said it saddens his heart that sometimes during church events, when he asks members of the youth to read out a scripture, they are barely able to string a sentence together making any sense of the passage.

“What happened to the regular visits to the libraries which were virtually mandatory for us as children and adolescents?

“Are our libraries well equipped with soft and hard copies of learning materials to enable this generation keep up with the current trends of leaning?

“Do we still set aside a particular study time for supervised reading like the periods of supplementary reading in our times?”

Dr Tetteh said the methods of encouraging students to acquire the habit of reading have been shelved with emphasis currently on providing high technology ICT laboratories, which lack the requisite human resource to effectively impact the knowledge to the students.

“I am of the view that though the world is changing rapidly towards complex but useful technology, we must crawl before we walk.

“The simple act of encouraging students to spend time reading hard copies of books is still very relevant today for in the event that the online reading is available and accessible, one must still be encouraged to use the already acquired skill of reading hard copy of books as foundation blocks towards acquiring all important skill.”

Nii Dzangmah Vanderpuye- Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister congratulated the school for winning the 3rd West Africa Senior High School (WASSCE) 2015 award.

Since the school is the only SHS in the Ga Central Municipality, he appealed to the Asene land owners to provide land for another facility.

He complained about the growing trend of indiscipline among students, leading to the cancellation of their exams this year.

Dr Mrs Shine Ofori, Headmistress, expressed appreciation about the excellent academic performance of students, adding that the school scored 99.5 per cent in WASSCE.

She said the academic entity has limited facilities compelling the school authorities to turn away students with good marks, hence the need to have additional classroom block.

Dr Ofori said the school is crappling with a dilapidated science block, which is life threatening.

She said Odorgonno has no library and so the facility has been declared as a jubilee project.

The school also lacks accomodation for teachers and confronted with security problems.

Dr Ofori commended Ms Shirley Ayokor Botwe, Member of Parliament for Anyaa- Sowutuom for her numerous assistance to the school including a plant to desalinate a borehole for drinking.

Mr Nii Boye Abbey, Entrepreneur and past student asked the students not restrict their reading scope to only academic disciplines.

He said mobile phones and other electronic devices have affected reading although they are supposed to facilitate the practice.