Nestled within the historic and revered enclave of Kokofu in the Bekwai Municipality, Oppon Memorial Senior High School (OMESS) has triumphantly commemorated its milestone 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary.
The grand celebration was a momentous occasion, blending reflective nostalgia with an urgent, stirring call for professional integrity, most notably urging educators to strictly uphold moral ethics and guard against unprofessional intimacy with students.
Legacy
To fully appreciate this golden milestone, one must look back to the early 1970s, when the visionary chief of Kokofu, Nana Osei Assibey, first conceived the dream of a transformative secondary institution to illuminate the community’s youth.
That vision was triumphantly birthed in 1975 through the relentless foresight of the late Kyidomhene of Kokofu, Nana Aduboahene, alongside a cohort of deeply patriotic Kokofu citizens.
What began as an ambitious yet modest day-and-boarding co-educational institution housing fewer than one hundred eager pioneer students has blossomed extraordinarily over five decades.
Today, Oppon Memorial stands as a prominent beacon of academic excellence in the Ashanti Region, boasting a vibrant student body of over 2,000 scholars pursuing diverse disciplines, including:
General Arts & General Science
Business & Visual Arts
Home Economics
Grand Durbar:
Held under the inspiring and resonant theme, “Changing the Narrative: 50 Years of Nurturing Greatness for a Brighter Future,” the grand anniversary durbar was an impressive convergence of tradition, academia, and leadership. The ceremonial grounds buzzed with energy as past and present students, dedicated faculty, traditional leaders, clergy, alumni (OMESS Old Students Association), and key officials from the Ghana Education Service (GES) gathered to pay homage to the institution’s rich history.
Delivering a heartfelt address, the Headmaster, Mr. Richard Ahenkorah, paid glowing tribute to the trailblazing founding fathers, former heads, pioneer staff, and resilient alumni whose monumental sacrifices laid the school’s bedrock.
However, balancing celebration with realistic candor, Mr. Ahenkorah highlighted critical infrastructural deficits currently crippling the institution, earnestly appealing for urgent government and private intervention to safeguard effective teaching and learning environment.
Professional Ethics
The event served as a solemn platform for national and local leaders to address systemic challenges within the educational sector:
Ethical Standards
The Bekwai Municipal Director of Education, Madam Leticia Obeng, delivered a firm, cautionary address highlighting the Ghana Education Service (GES) code of conduct.
She sternly admonished teachers against compromising ethical boundaries, emphasizing that professional discipline and student safeguarding must remain paramount.
Legislative Support
The Member of Parliament for the Bekwai Constituency, Hon. Lawyer Ralph Opoku-Adusei, reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to youth empowerment through strategic investments in educational infrastructure across the constituency.
Civic Responsibility
The Bekwai Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hon. Salia Salifu, urged the youth to passionately prioritize their studies while steadfastly abstaining from substance abuse and destructive social vices.
Alumni Impact
Demonstrating enduring devotion to their alma mater, the OMESS Old Students Association proudly commissioned and handed over a newly constructed, fully furnished two-bedroom quarters for the Assistant Headmaster.
Unveiling the facility, a Senior Old Boy, Lawyer Akwasi Amofa Agyemang affirmed that “the old students have consistently spearheaded interventions to bolster developmental initiatives here, and we remain unflinchingly dedicated to driving the school’s structural development for generations to come.”
The Golden Jubilee climaxed with a vibrant awards ceremony, where distinguished current and former teaching staff, dedicated non-teaching personnel, illustrious alumni, and high-achieving students were conferred with prestigious honors for their selfless service and exceptional academic performance.
