A high-level delegation from Loudoun County, Virginia, in the United States of America headed by Phyllis Randall, Chair-At-Large of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, paid a working visit on June 15 to Chemu Senior High School located in Tema, Community 4, Ghana.

The visit to the coeducational institution according to a statement from the delegation is part of the sister city exchange program signed June 13, 2023 by Chair Randall, and Mayor Yohane Amarh Ashitey, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) as representatives of their County and City respectively.

Held at Chemu’s S.A Tenkorang Hall, the event emphasized the County’s commitment to education in Ghana, since the County according to Chair Randall has agreed to terms that the two cities should bridge their differences collectively and compliment one another.

Chemu has a significant place in Tema’s educational legacy. It was created around the time Ama Atta Aidoo, then Ghana’s Secretary of the Ministry of Education, intended to address the issue of expensive boarding costs and boost the number of pupils attending day schools. The school was officially inaugurated on October 12, 1982; and although it started with 86 students, it now has some over 1500 students, placing it as the largest day senior high school in Tema.

“The County wanted to show its commitment to education in Tema through a working visit, so I recommended that we begin with Chemu after it was highly recommended by Oral Ofori who was a student there some 25yrs ago. Over time, the County’s delegation would also visit other schools in Tema to show its undying commitment to its sister city agreement,” said Chair Randell in an interview with TheAfricanDream.net in Tema.

In a private meeting with the school’s administrator, Chair Randall after a tour of the school’s facilities assured that she was going to do the best she could to make sure that the student body received the needed logistics and support to facilitate a stress free learning environment.

The Chair while addressing the student body that day said that: "In Loudoun, as elected officials; we do a lot of land use; we build things. However, we can build roads, schools and office buildings, but it we don't build a young person’s spirit, we have failed. All that we do, all that any elected official does, should be leaving the world better for future generations.

Our delegation was so honored to spend just a few hours with the intelligent, proud young people at Chemu High School. We want to thank Mayor Ashitey, the Chemu Head Mistress and all the staff at the Pride of Tema: Chemu High School.”

Chair Randall’s delegation included Vice Chair Koran Saines, Supervisor Sylvia Glass, Chief of Staff Mattew Rogers, Chief of Staff Kent Erwin, Thaddeus Randall, and Oral Ofori (friend of the county and a Chemu alumnus).

In attendance too was Mrs Vicentia Kyere Anin-Agyei; Headmistresses of Chemu who thanked the delegation for visiting and looked forward to establishing fruitful longterm exchange relationships with schools in Loudoun County, Virginia.