SWESCO: Nkrumah's Education Trust Piesies

The Swedru Secondary School (SWESCO), at Agona Swedru in the Central Region, is 66-years-old and the firstborns (Piesies) are coming home!

The blessings declared on every first born and the glory he or she carries is seen in the lives of the products of SWESCO.

This weekend, all roads lead to the only "Agona University".

Quality education

It was in a bid to bring quality education to the doorsteps of Ghanaians that Ghana's first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, established the Ghana Education Trust (GET) to promote the establishment of secondary schools across the country with SWESCO as the first of such schools to be established.

The old students derive their nickname Piesie from this, as products of the first GET secondary school.

The mission of GET was to help establish more second-cycle institutions to absorb the large numbers of school pupils who had benefited from Dr Nkrumah’s free Universal Primary Education programme launched in 1951.

The foundation stone for SWESCO was laid on June 28, 1958, by the then Minister of Trade and Industry, Kojo Botsio.

Always with the best

The school has to a great extent lived true to its motto Semper cum Optimis, a Latin expression meaning “Always with the best” and has worked to produce men and women of high standing in all spheres who are contributing to making the country great.

Some of its notable alumni include the Founder of International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Dr Mensa Otabil; a former Inspector General of Police, John Kudalor, as well as entrepreneur and Executive Chairman of Tropical Cable and Conductor Limited, Dr Anthony Oteng-Gyasi.

In its 66 years of existence, SWESCO, a mixed school, has made great strides and continues to remain a shining light illuminating the paths of many Ghanaians into guided careers.

Currently the school offers General Science, Visual Arts, Home Economics, Business and General Arts programmes.

Its existence is a reminder of the endearing legacies of the first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, towards bringing quality education to the doorstep of every Ghanaian.

Old students, led by their Global President, Piesie Samuel Atta-Mensah, the Managing Director of Citi FM, has in the recent past worked together with the board and Headmistress, Golda Esi Andam, to promote the infrastructure development of the school.

Ms Andam said the school was opened on January 30, 1959 and was officially inaugurated on August 15, 1959 with 187 students in two batches of form one and two students.

She said the population of the school currently stood at 4,208.

Excellence

The Chairman of the Board of Governors, Dr Elizabeth Wyns-Dogbe, said the board and management would work towards excellence, moral integrity and discipline among its products to make a lasting impact wherever they found themselves.

She expressed profound gratitude to the SWESCO community for the goodwill and the unfettered support and efforts in ensuring they continuously provided holistic and quality education to learners for all the 66 years of the school’s existence.

"May we see more years of productivity, fruitfulness and unity in hoisting the flag of our dear SWESCO high," she added.