Accra, Nov 29, GNA - The Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, on Saturday joined pupils of his alma mater, Achimota Basic School, to celebrate its golden jubilee and speech and prize-giving day. The celebration which was on the theme: 'Education, an investment for future', coincided with Mr Mahama's 51st birthday.

It was a moment of nostalgia for the Vice President as he recounted his days at the school before leaving for Tamale Secondary School for his second cycle education.

He advised the pupils to take their lessons serious as that was the only tool to empower them for the future adding that they were lucky to be part of the Achimota Family and urged them to take advantage of its resources to develop themselves.

The Vice President said the school's boarding system had made most of its products to "bond well" no matter their ethnic or political affiliations which fostered peace and unity in the country. Mr Mahama expressed gratitude to teachers who taught him at the school and commended the current staff for working hard to maintain the high academic standard of the school.

Mr Samuel Bannerman-Mensah, Director General of the Ghana Education Service, cautions schools against resorting to dubious means to get their students to pass examinations, which had resulted in the current examination malpractices.

He said that education should not be reduced to just passing examinations but should be used as tool for holistic human development for improved performance.

Mr Bannerman-Mensah called on parents to invest in the education of their children to enable them to benefit from the country's oil find and other opportunities.

He asked parents to support teachers for proper upbringing of children. Mr Frank Armah, Headmaster of Achimota Junior High School, appealed for assistance to fence round the school to end encroachment on its lands and to purchase a vehicle since the only bus was inadequate. Mr Ken Ofori Atta, an old student, who chaired the occasion urged the school children to take their studies seriously.

The Achimota School, which established in 1927, was closed and reopened by Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana first President in 1959. It currently has a student population of 3217 pupils excluding the senior high school level students.