Tuwohofo-Holly International School: THIRTY YEARS of Educating Ghana's Children

Chief Enstoolment Ceremony, 22 July 2013

Prof Don Clerico

Nana Kobina Tuwohofo II

2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016

Remarks on the Occasion of the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Founding of Tuwohofo-Holly International School

Akotokyir Village, Cape Coast, Ghana, West Africa

25 June 2016

Fifteen years is a long time. Yet, fifteen years seems like an instant, a moment, the blink of an eye. Wasn’t it just yesterday that I landed for the first time in Accra and traveled to Cape Coast and Akotokyir Village?

Wasn’t it the day before today that I was marveling and feasting my eyes, ears, nose, and mind on the Ghana that enveloped me? Not the Ghana of the internet, not the Ghana of a travel guide, not the Ghana of others; but, my Ghana—the Ghana that opened its arms and welcomed this O’brunyi from the other side of the world. The Ghana of smiling faces, of “Akwaaba!”, of children’s voices saying, “Brunyi, Brunyi, how are you? I am fine, thank you!”

The Ghana of Akotokyir Village—home community of Ato Baidoo and his wife, Mary; home of his elder brother, Thomas and his Mary; home to the hundreds of Ghanaians who live in its houses and spend their days as farmers, tradesmen, university instructors, market women, construction workers, taxi drivers, and teachers.

The Ghana of Tuwohofo-Holly International School—educational creation of Ato Baidoo and named in honor of his father, Tuwohofo. A place where over the past thirty years thousands of children have come to study, learn, and discover the world. A place that has prepared and sent hundreds of its students on to Senior

Secondary School and to University. A place that has seen its students excel in national examinations, in athletic competition, and in musical performance. A place that has been like a second home to me and more than fifty of my students and has forever changed our lives.

And, despite its limited resources, the constant need to maintain and upgrade expensive buildings and grounds, and the annual search to find the best teachers for its students, Tuwohofo-Holly International School has continued to thrive and demonstrate its excellence to the entire Cape Coast region.

I have spent my life working in schools—as a student, a teacher, a headmaster, a supervisor, and now as a professor who prepares others to become teachers. I know how hard it is to operate a school—particularly a school that does not receive any help from the government.

Tuwohofo-Holly International School is just such a school.  It cannot call the Ghana Education Service and say, “Help us; we need books; our students need desks to sit in; the roof of our JSS block is leaking, and someone broke into the ICT Lab and stole three computers. Please help us!”  But there will be no help; only a message saying, “Sorry; you are on your own. You will have to help yourself.”

The only way Tuwohofo-Holly International School can help itself is through the school fees paid by its students and donations from generous people who believe in the good work being done here. But, mostly, it’s the fees you pay that allow the school to hire good teachers, to purchase learning and testing materials, to repair and improve the buildings and grounds, and to make certain that your children get the best education possible.

I know it’s not easy paying school fees. I know it’s hard. There are always too many things to pay for and too few Cedis every month. But education is so important. It is the best way to help your children grow and develop and become confident, successful adults.  Education is the key to making sure your children are the best they can be and Tuwohofo-Holly International School is the best place for this to happen. 

Your children will be the leaders of Ghana in the future and they must have a good education in order to be good leaders. They will be the farmers, trades men and women, carpenters, mechanics, computer technicians, doctors, and teachers. And who knows? There might be a Member of Parliament or a Government Minister or future President of Ghana sitting right here! The education your children are

receiving at Tuwohofo-Holly International School today is preparing them to lead Ghana and the world tomorrow! Believe me when I say that this is a great school! It gives your children everything they need to help them grow and develop.

So, let me congratulate those of you who are part of this excellent school—you who are its teachers and leaders; and let me congratulate you who have sent your children here in the past, and you who send your children here today.

And now, in conclusion, allow me to recognize and honor my good friend, Mr. Augustine Ato Baidoo—founder, headmaster, and motivating force behind Tuwohofo-Holly International School. It was his dream to create a school in Akotokyir, his home village, and to offer the best education possible to the children who live here. He has devoted the last thirty years of his life to making this dream a reality and in so doing he has changed the lives of thousands of children through his dedication, leadership, and commitment to them. Therefore, when we celebrate this school we are also celebrating him.  

What you may not know is that Mr. Baidoo’s sphere of influence is so much wider than Akotokyir Village, the Central Region, and even the country of Ghana. Tuwohofo-Holly International School and Akotokyir Village have forever changed the lives and attitudes of every one of the fifty-four American teachers who have traveled with me over the past fifteen years. As a result of our experiences here, children and families in America, Indonesia, China, and Morocco are benefiting from what we have learned from you.

CONGRATULATIONS, Tuwohofo-Holly International School on your thirty years of success and we wish you thirty more! 

CONGRATULATIONS, Augustine Ato Baidoo on your vision, your leadership, and your commitment to this wonderful school! It is a fitting tribute to who you are as an educator, a man of vision, and a Ghanaian who loves his country and its children.

Medase!

Medase!

Medase!