A send-off ceremony has been held in honour of the Headmistress of T.I. Ahmadiyya Girls’ Senior High School at Asokore-Effiduase in the Sekyere East District of the Ashanti Region, Hajia Ayesha Nyantakyiwaa Boakye, following her retirement from the Ghana Education Service (GES).
The ceremony, which brought together educationists, school authorities, members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana, retired heads of senior high schools and representatives of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High Schools (CHASS), celebrated Hajia Boakye’s 33 years of dedicated service to education.
The occasion also witnessed the presentation of a Nissan Navara vehicle to the retiring headmistress by her family as a token of appreciation for her years of service and dedication.
Legacy of transformation
Speaking at the ceremony, Hajia Boakye expressed gratitude to Allah for the honour done her and for seeing her through the many years of service to the Ghana Education Service.
She said she was particularly grateful for the opportunity to serve at T.I. Ahmadiyya Girls’ SHS, where she had spent 17 of her 33 years in the education service.
According to her, the years she spent at the school had been devoted to improving its infrastructure, academic environment and general welfare, with the ultimate objective of transforming the institution into a school capable of competing with other leading second-cycle institutions.
Hajia Boakye said her administration had contributed significantly to the development of the school through a number of projects and interventions.
Among the projects she mentioned was the construction of an 18-unit classroom block, which she said had helped to address some of the school’s infrastructural needs.
She also cited the construction and improvement of the school’s entrance, mechanisation of additional boreholes, renovation of the school bus and staff bungalows, as well as the establishment and improvement of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory.
Other interventions, she noted, included the provision of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, televisions and furniture to enhance teaching, learning and security on campus.
Cadet development
Hajia Boakye also highlighted the establishment of a school cadet corps and the provision of a cadet band as some of the initiatives introduced during her tenure.
She explained that such initiatives were intended not only to support academic development but also to promote discipline, leadership, teamwork and patriotism among the students.
She expressed satisfaction that the school had made progress in various areas during her tenure, adding that the achievements were the result of collective efforts by staff, students, parents, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission and other stakeholders.
Commends government.
The retiring headmistress also commended the government for its support towards the development of T.I. Ahmadiyya Girls’ SHS.
She mentioned the construction of a 41-unit classroom block, the provision of projectors and the supply of two utility vehicles, including a Toyota Hilux and a Mahindra pickup, as some of the government interventions that had benefited the school.
She said the support had contributed to improving the teaching and learning environment and easing some of the logistical challenges confronting the institution.
However, Hajia Boakye, in a light-hearted reference to the popular biblical character Oliver Twist, appealed for more support from the government and other stakeholders to enable the school to continue its development.
“Like Oliver Twist, we ask for more,” she said, stressing the need for continued investment in education infrastructure and other resources.
Tribute to service.
The ceremony provided an opportunity for colleagues and stakeholders to acknowledge Hajia Boakye’s contribution to education and her leadership at T.I. Ahmadiyya Girls’ SHS.
Representatives of CHASS, retired heads of senior high schools and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission were present to celebrate the retiring headmistress and recognise her contribution to the growth of the institution.
The presentation of the Nissan Navara by her family added a special dimension to the occasion, symbolising their appreciation for her commitment and years of service.
After 33 years in the Ghana Education Service, including 17 years at the helm of T.I. Ahmadiyya Girls’ SHS, Hajia Boakye leaves the service with a record of infrastructural and institutional interventions that she believes will continue to benefit generations of students.
Her retirement, therefore, marks the end of a long career in education while opening a new chapter in the life of a woman whose professional journey has been closely associated with the development of the school and the advancement of education.
