Gomoa-Mozano(C/R), March 28, GNA - The Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor Kwesi Andam, has reiterated the need for students to study hard to enable them to achieve better results. Professor Andam cautioned them to eschew vices that could destroy their future and stick to their books. He was addressing the first ever Speech and Prize-giving Day of the Mozano Community Senior Secondary School (MOZAC) at Mozano at the weekend. Prof. Andam reminded students of various educational institutions of the enormous returns they stood to gain if they made hard work their hallmark in their academic pursuits. He said distinguished academics; scientists and technologists who had made it in life acquired their fame through serious and sustained studies.

Prof. Andam was optimistic that the present generation could also make it if they used the past-distinguished achievers as their role models. He said he accepted the invitation to participate in the celebration of Mozac's first speech and prize giving ceremony because he wanted students of the school, which is community-based, to take inspiration from his achievements. He commended management, teachers, Board of Governors and the Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) of the schools for their excellent performance, which had enabled the school to chalk remarkable feats over the years and appealed to them to intensify their activities to sustain and further improve upon their achievements in the years ahead.

Mr Emmanuel Kwesi Tsibu, Headmaster of the school called for the early completion of the girls' dormitory so that moves would be made to initiate the boys' dormitory. Mr Tsibu expressed regret that since its inception over l0 years ago most of the teachers in school still lived at Agona Swedru, a distance of about 30 kilometres daily to attend classes. He appealed to the government, particularly the Minister of Education Youth and Sports to use his good offices to assist the authorities of the school to improve infrastructural facilities.

Mr Tsibu said since 1995 the school had scored l00 percent in Basic School Certificate Examination(BECE) results, adding that last year the school won the 67th position in the BECE examinations out of the 467 schools, which presented candidates throughout the country. He said in the Central Region, MOZAC secured the second position and won the first position in the Gomoa District. In sports, the school achieved commendable results with some of her sportsmen and sportswomen gaining national awards.

Mrs Ama Benyiwa Doe, MP for Gomoa West promised to build one classroom for the school with part of her share of the MPs Common Fund as her personal contribution towards the development of the school. For a start, Mrs Benyiwa-Doe donated 50 bags of cement and four bundles of roofing sheets worth more than eight million cedis towards the project. Mr Richard Sam-Quarm, Gomoa-East MP who also attended the function, donated 50,000 cedis during an appeal for funds. Colonel Kingsley Kwame Nyame, a member of the Board of Governors of the school was given special citation for his immense contributions towards the development of the school since its inception l3 years ago. Prizes were presented to deserving students, teachers and workers of the school.