TheMfantsiman Old Girls Association (MOGA) has called for renewed support to complete an ultra-modern ICT library project at Mfantsiman Girls Senior High School, as old students prepare to return to Saltpond for the school’s 66th Speech and Prize-Giving Day.

Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Friday (21 August), MOGA National Vice President Shirley Tony Kum, a 2001 year-group member, said old girls had contributed significantly to the development of the school through infrastructure projects, mentorship programmes and donations.

She said the ICT library, which is being constructed as a legacy project, had stalled because of financial constraints.

“We are yet to complete it. It has stalled due to financial constraints, and I’ll use again your platform to appeal to all stakeholders, corporate Ghana, the government, everyone, to please come and help us complete this library,” she said.

The facility is intended to go beyond a conventional library, with plans for computers, digital screens and other technology to support students.

Kum said old girls had also supported the renovation of school houses and continued to provide books, career guidance and mentorship to current students.

“We are seeing the impact,” she said.

The comments came during a discussion on the Mfantsiman spirit and the school’s legacy ahead of the 66th Speech and Prize-Giving celebrations, scheduled for 24 to 27 September 2026.

The school, established in 1960, has produced women who have gone on to work in education, business, politics, law, medicine, media and other sectors.

For the old girls, the Mfantsiman experience is defined by hard work, resilience and excellence.

Kum said the school prepared students to overcome challenges and thrive regardless of where they found themselves.

“Resilience, excellence and hard work is in our DNA and that defines an Mfantsiman girl,” she said.

Karin Bannerman, chairperson of the 2001 year group, said the school’s motto, “Obra ne woara bo”, meaning “Life is what you make it,” continues to shape students by giving them examples of what is possible after secondary school.

She said seeing former students occupying influential positions gave current students a tangible understanding of the school’s values.

“When they see us in this state or these positions that we’re having and knowing that we also passed through the same channel, then it gives them the true meaning of ‘Obra ne woara bo’,” Bannerman said.

Mary Anna Adu Gyamfi, also of the 2001 year group, said Mfantsiman’s influence extended beyond academic achievement.

She argued that schools needed to prepare students to adapt to a changing world by developing social, leadership and practical skills alongside academic knowledge.

“Academic excellence alone cannot take you that far. You need to be an all-rounded person,” she said.

This year’s Speech and Prize-Giving Day will therefore be held under the theme “Learning to Relearn: The Art of Adaptability in a Rapidly Changing World.”

Gyamfi said the theme reflected the need for students to remain open to new ways of learning and working rather than limiting themselves to traditional definitions of academic success.

She said Mfantsiman had produced successful women across the sciences, arts, business, politics and entrepreneurship, demonstrating the importance of a broad education.

The celebrations will begin on September 24 with a street carnival to welcome old girls back to the school.

Activities on September 25 will include a health walk and a donation to Saltpond Hospital, followed by a career guidance and mentorship session and a traditional cassava party with students.

An awards night will later recognise outstanding students and hardworking members of staff.

The main Speech and Prize-Giving ceremony will take place on Saturday, September 26, followed by a 1990s-themed jam. The celebrations will end on Sunday with a Founders Day and Thanksgiving service.

The 2001 year group is hosting this year’s celebrations, with support from other year groups.

Gyamfi said the continued involvement of old girls reflected the strong bonds formed at Mfantsiman, describing it as a “sisterhood” that extends well beyond the years spent in school.

“We were not just classmates. We were family,” she said.

She said that bond had enabled old girls to continue supporting one another while also contributing to the development of their alma mater.

The 2017 year-group representative, Clankson Acheampong, described the Mfantsiman experience as one that prepares girls to be independent and resilient.

“You can’t go to Mfantsiman and be slow,” she said, recalling the demanding nature of boarding-school life and the emphasis on self-reliance.

The old girls also recalled traditions and experiences from their time at the school, including water shortages, boarding-house life, the school’s signature cassava meal and the friendships that have endured decades after graduation.

Kum said those experiences had helped shape the resilience that former students carried into their professional lives.

As MOGA prepares for this year’s celebrations, the association is encouraging old girls and other stakeholders to support its Share to Care initiative, which will provide medical items to Saltpond Hospital.

It is also calling on supporters to contribute towards completing the ICT library, which the association says would provide students with improved access to digital learning resources.

For the old girls, the anniversary celebrations are therefore intended to be more than a reunion.

They see the return to Mfantsiman as an opportunity to celebrate the school’s history while investing in the next generation of students who will carry its legacy forward.