Commentary On The Struggle For Independence
The history of Ghana's struggle towards independence and its final attachment will not be complete if the role of students in Colleges and Secondary Schools then, is not properly and justifiably recounted and placed in their proper perspective. The arrest of the Big Six and their subsequent detention having instigated the riots which culminated in the 28th February crossroad shooting incident and the looting of European shops led to a protest march by some students in secondary schools in Cape Coast. On the 15th of March 1948 the students undertook a protest march in Cape Coast in solidarity with detained United Gold Coast Convention (U.G.C.C) executives resulting in the expulsion of 150 students from St. Augustine College and Mfantsipim School. This was as a result of the Quashie - Idun commission which was charged to investigate and come out with a report on the students’ unrest. Among other things they recommended the revocation of the appointment of four teachers, three from St. Augustine and one from Mfantsipim. They were Kwesi Plange, JJ Mensah-Kane and HP Nelson all of St. Augustine's College and H.W.K Sackeyfio of Mfantsipim.
On the 1st of July 1948, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the Secretary General to the U.G.C.C. met all the embattled teachers at his office in Saltpond and commissioned Kojo Botsio, who was to become Ghana's first Minister of Education, on the attainment of independence, to evaluate plans to start a new school. On the 8th of July, 1948 Dr Kwame Nkrumah on his way from Axim to Accra made a stopover at Cape Coast and personally donated 10 pounds to the teachers towards starting the school. With this, the teachers made benches, blackboards, purchased some basic writing materials and rented space on the ground floor of the Old Temple House at McCarthy Hill in Gyegyem, a suburb of Cape Coast. On the 16th of July, 1948, 16 boys and one girl were enrolled at this school as the first students. On the 19th of July, 1948, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah delivered a historic and highly motivational speech at this school in which among other things he advocated the chain of four Ghana National Colleges in all the territories which make up the Gold Coast leading to the founding of very high institutions in this country''.
Ghana National College from a humble beginning of 16 students, can today boast of a population of over 1,500 students, male and female comfortably sitting on top of academic conducive hills. By hard work, sacrifice and years of investment by old students, parents and government, Ghana National College has risen to become one of the highly preferred institutions. As we look forward to a successful commemoration of the 61st Anniversary of Ghana's Independence, it is appropriate to reflect on the sacrifices of the 16 gallant students who stood and defended their rights for the acquisition and attainment of a decent education just as our forebear fought for our political freedom.
BY: ALFRED HUGHES, A BROADCAST JOURNALIST.
On the 1st of July 1948, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the Secretary General to the U.G.C.C. met all the embattled teachers at his office in Saltpond and commissioned Kojo Botsio, who was to become Ghana's first Minister of Education, on the attainment of independence, to evaluate plans to start a new school. On the 8th of July, 1948 Dr Kwame Nkrumah on his way from Axim to Accra made a stopover at Cape Coast and personally donated 10 pounds to the teachers towards starting the school. With this, the teachers made benches, blackboards, purchased some basic writing materials and rented space on the ground floor of the Old Temple House at McCarthy Hill in Gyegyem, a suburb of Cape Coast. On the 16th of July, 1948, 16 boys and one girl were enrolled at this school as the first students. On the 19th of July, 1948, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah delivered a historic and highly motivational speech at this school in which among other things he advocated the chain of four Ghana National Colleges in all the territories which make up the Gold Coast leading to the founding of very high institutions in this country''.
Ghana National College from a humble beginning of 16 students, can today boast of a population of over 1,500 students, male and female comfortably sitting on top of academic conducive hills. By hard work, sacrifice and years of investment by old students, parents and government, Ghana National College has risen to become one of the highly preferred institutions. As we look forward to a successful commemoration of the 61st Anniversary of Ghana's Independence, it is appropriate to reflect on the sacrifices of the 16 gallant students who stood and defended their rights for the acquisition and attainment of a decent education just as our forebear fought for our political freedom.
BY: ALFRED HUGHES, A BROADCAST JOURNALIST.
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