“This School has a future, I shall watch its progress with great interest” were the words scribed by the first president of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah during a visit to the prestigious Navrongo Senior High School on 26th October 1960 upon building it.
Established on 30th September 1960 with 66 Students and 4 Staff including the Headmaster, Mr J. K. Fiergbor, the Navrongo Senior High School has become a national icon. It appears the indelible blessings of the former president on the school lives on following the high-rocketing growth of the school. The school has produced legends in diverse fields. The school over the weekend celebrated its 60 years of academic existence.
Bawumia donates:
Speaking on the theme “Sustaining Sixty Years of Quality Education in Navrongo Senior High School – the Role of Stakeholders” vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia told students and old students of Navasco that he asked the president to give him money to support the 60th anniversary projects of the Navrongo Senior High School. “As I was coming for this particular historic occasion I said to the President , you know on this occasions there is always fund raising to support various projects for the school so I want you to also deep your hand in pocket so that I can take to Navasco on your behalf so I did a fund raising for you , the president of the republic gave some and I also added some money so on behalf of the President and myself, we are donating on our behalf hundred thousand Ghana cedis to Navrongo Senior School for your 60th anniversary project”.
60 years today, the school has not only improved academically but has gains it Teaching Staff strength of 121 and 70 Non-Teaching Staff with a student population of 2,124. Obviously, this shows that the school has made significant gains from the modest beginning in 1960. The school has chalked great successes and continues to live its vision of providing quality education and academic excellence. Navasco is not only the light of the North in addition to Tamasco, but these two great schools are shining lights in the North.
According to the Vice President, “Navasco has been blazing the trail since its establishment which both students and management have been proud of.
Mr. Collins G. MacDonald, who is arguably the greatest headmaster of this great school, and who was with you virtually yesterday during the School’s Speech and Prize-Giving Day Celebration in 1980, said “[t]he academic highlights of the decade were first in 1974 when Kofi Morna Scored 9 grade 1s in his ‘O’ Level, and secondly in 1978 when we had more Students admitted to Legon than any other School in the country”.
Dr Bawumia also noted that in the early years, Navasco topped all the “A” Level Schools. So impressive and exemplary was the academic performance that many Students came from all over the country to have their Sixth Form education in Navasco. This feat was not merely due to a dedicated and hardworking staff but largely because of a high standard of discipline in learning and behaviour of Students which have made their presence felt in the different political regimes in the country. In the current parliament, a good number of the Parliamentarians are ‘NABIAS’ including the Minority Leader, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu who was a Dining Hall Prefect of this school, former special prosecutor, Mr. Martin Amidu, Lawyer John Ndebugre, the former Chief of Defence Staff- Air Marshall (rtd) Samson Oje, Major General Emmanuel Kotia, Mr Ambrose Dery, the minister of Interior, Mr Sampson Tamgombu Chiragia the member of Parliament for Navrongo Central, Mr Benson Tongo Baba member of Parliament Talensi and many others.
In academia, Navasco has produced so many renowned Professors and Lecturers who work within and outside the country. One of them Prof. David Millar, a refined, experienced, and brilliant scholar – owner of Millar Open Institute for Transdisciplinary and Development Studies in Bolgatanga.
Headmistress of the school Ms. Mercy Babachuweh pleaded with government to fence the school to enable school authorities check discipline and improve security. She also called on government to build an Assembly and dining hall to meet the current population of the school. She lamented “Navasco, has never had government awarded contract for the building of an Assembly Hall and a dining hall since the inception of the school”.
Gaspard Ayuureneeya .