The Managing Director of GCB Bank PLC, Mr Kofi Adomakoh, has called on students to be problem solvers.
He was speaking as the Chairman of the 92nd Anniversary and Speech Day Celebration of St. Augustine’s College in Cape-Coast – his alma mater. Mr. Adomakoh who completed in 1984 and whose Dad is also an alumnus, explained that the realities of the Covid-19 pandemic have further deepened awareness of the importance of education that departs from rote memorisation and focuses rather on skill acquisition and competencies that can be deployed to address domestic and global needs.
"The educated person of today is not merely the one who can read and write but the problem-solver who creates solutions for society to tackle the challenges of the 21st century wherever he finds himself," he stated.
He issued a clarion call to the students, charging them to stay committed to what they are passionate about, prioritise it and pursue it now so that that they can ripen to full potential in the years to come and lead change across industries.
"Life is too short to play small with your potential. But to grow big, you need to grow exponentially using technology and thinking big! If we cannot solve problems and provide solutions to our societal challenges, then what is the essence of education?" he quizzed rhetorically.
He encouraged all the students to be mindful of the school's timeless motto "Omnia Vincit Labor” translated "Perseverance Conquers All” and apply it in earnest.
Mr Adomakoh also called for the adoption of current technological innovations into Ghana's education system to deliver sufficiently on the expectations and outcomes of a modern educational system.
While acknowledging that a robust ICT integration will ensure the attainment of the UN's SDG Goal 4 geared towards education focused on skills development that creates lifelong opportunities, he cautioned students to be wary of attendant distractions.
Furthermore, he commended Government for introducing the Free SHS and the STEM programmes among others. He however, urged greater investment into equipping educators to consolidate these gains in the years ahead.
In his closing remarks, he thanked APSU 97 for their ongoing support in setting up a state-of-the-art ICT Laboratory and E-learning centre and issued a clarion call to all alumni, home and abroad, to pool resources and contribute to the transformation of St Augustine's College and its legacy as a trailblazer in Ghanaian education.