President John Evans Atta Mills has lauded the Catholic Church for its practical demonstration in growing the nation’s education and moral discipline through its educational programmes across the country.

He said this is evidently seen in the church’s establishment of educational structures from Kindergarten to the University level, which has produced well trained and morally upright students, dedicated to the service of Ghana.

President Mills said this in an address read for him by Mr Lee Ocran, Minister of Education, at the 60th anniversary celebration of Opoku Ware Senior High School in Kumasi, at the weekend.

“60 years of Catholic education, building a school of academic excellence through moral discipline” was the theme.

He said “the nation is indeed appreciative of the contributions of the church in growing the country through moral education, in addition to the promotion of spiritual development”.

“As a country and government, we need to keep an eagle eye on the established schools, which have produced these finer people, who are in service of the country and other institutions globally.

President Mills said the government would do what it takes to support and satisfy the genuine needs of the school, as testified by some on-going projects, such as the 18-unit classroom block, 3-storey dormitory block, science block and an assembly hall complex.

He appealed to the Board of Governors, headmaster and staff of the school not to relent in their efforts, but push the school’s agenda toward a more relevant and pragmatic way that would ensure the realization of national social goals of achieving greater discipline and development.

He said education is one of the main channels for the government to achieve its policies of creating and realizing the “Better Ghana Agenda”.

The President, however said, this can be achieved with dignity of labour, uprightness and decency of mind as well as honest behavior in “our dealings with others and in pushing the machinery of government for our common good”.

President Mills appealed to parents to help in the training of their wards to enable them to become better managers of the families, institutions, businesses and the nation.

“It is only through this that we can sincerely evaluate the role, duty and part we have played and satisfy our conscience. Let me wish you all well in this effort”, he said

He praised the Old Boys’ Association of the school for their bold initiative to start the construction of an ICT complex project and the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) of the school for complementing the government efforts to provide educational facilities for the school.

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, called for the introduction of “Civic Education” as a subject of study in schools, saying this is one of the surest ways by which “we can turn the country into a better place to live”.

He commended the school management for the symbolic honour done by mounting a statue in honour of his predecessor, Opoku Ware I after whom the school was named by Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyemang Prempeh II.