First Lady Mrs. Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo, has emphasised the need to push the quality of basic education in the country to the pinnacle of excellence.

This, she said, would ensure that all talents were developed and harnessed in the quest to be a viable competitor in global development.

“We must ensure that education recognises, encourages and helps to achieve the maximum development of our children by ensuring that knowledge and skills were not just a means for children to attain high marks, but also, tools to understand and function in our world”

Mrs. Akufo-Addo said this at the 60th anniversary celebration of the Achimota Basic School in Accra, which was held on the theme: “60 years of holistic education: the pursuit of excellence”.

She said there was also the need to identify and train excellent teachers since they played a pivotal role in the educational learning process, and to court full parental involvement in the education of children so they could focus on their studies and be disciplined too.

Mrs. Akufo-Addo said all Ghanaians would benefit from the free Senior High School Policy, should they mould their children at the basic level in discipline and academic excellence to discover their potentials.

She expressed her delight at the steady academic progress of the Achimota School and congratulated management and staff for their commitment and diligence to duty.

The First Lady paid glowing tribute to past officers of the school, especially, the late Mrs. Grace Williams Baffoe, the Headmistress during her time as a pupil, whose dynamism ensured the kind of holistic training that unearthed their destined potentials.

She urged all old pupils of Achimota Basic School (Akorettes) to support the school by assisting in the construction of its modern Assembly Hall.

The First Lady said the Rebecca Foundation, which she founded, had constructed an ultra- modern library for the School in fulfilment of a request put forward by Management early this year.

Other dignitaries that graced the School’s anniversary included; Madam Abena Osei Asare, Deputy Minister for Finance, and Nii Boye Laryea, Municipal Chief Executive of Okaikwei North, and government officials.