Accra High School on Wednesday won the 45th Independence Day March Past Competition for second cycle schools at the Independence Square in Accra. It bagged 212 points while Nungua Secondary School came a close second with 211 points. Ebenezer Secondary School came third with 202 points.

In the cadet corps division, Depot JSS Cadet, which is trained by the Ghana Police Service, came first with 234 points, O'Reilly Secondary School Cadet trained by the Air Force came second with 215 points and Labone Secondary School Cadet trained by the Navy came third.

For the basic schools, 5 Garrison Basic School came first with 235 points, Kpeshi Sub-Metro came second with 208 points while Ablekuma North Sub-metro came third with 207 points.

Winners of the various divisions received 600,000 cedis and a plaque each. Those who placed second received 400,000 and a plaque each, while those who placed third took 300,000 and a plaque each.

Schools that competed in the march past included the Kpeshie, Ablekumah, Fifth Garrison and Osu Clottey sub-metro basic schools. Nungua, Ebenezer, Achimota, Accra High, O'Reilly and Labone secondary schools competed in the second cycle division.

Their prizes were presented to them at forecourt of the State House at a ceremony attended by the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Ministers of State and Members of the Council of State.

This year's independence celebrations are under the theme: "Discipline - An Essential Tool For National Development". In a speech, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Education urged students to be mindful of their behaviour in school since discipline, aside their academic performance, would determine their job security in future.

"The freedom of independence, which Ghanaians enjoy today did not come on a silver platter but through the hard work, discipline, commitment and priceless sacrifices of our forefathers," he said.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi said discipline in schools could best be described as bad, adding that teachers had a lot to do to save the situation. He expressed regret at the rate at which students, especially those in tertiary institutions, took to the streets rather than go through the proper channels to seek redress.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi urged students who won the Presidential prizes and those who performed excellently during the march past never to compromise the high sense of discipline inculcated in the them by their teachers but to make it manifest in all their endeavours.