By Alex Boye
One of Ghana’s best Private schools, Bright Senior High School (SHS), situated at Akyem- Kukurantumi, in the Eastern Region, has signed a partnership agreement with Blyth Academy, a Canadian based Educational institution to admit students to pursue high school diploma.
As part of the agreement, students of the School would be admitted to pursue High School Diploma (Grade 12) at Blyth Academy in Canada or through virtual education from Ghana.
The President of Bright Senior High School, Bright Amponsah Nyarko, who signed the deal in Canada said the academic partnership agreement is one of a kind in Ghana which would afford Ghanaian students particularly students from Bright SHS the opportunity to gain Canadian diploma certificate which could facilitate their employment for them in Canada and other European countries.
Whiles gaining admission to pursue undergraduate and post graduate degrees in Canada, UK and USA without stress.
He said Bright SHS students who enroll in Blyth Academy programs would enjoy 50% discount on tuition fee.
Confirming the partnership agreement, via Zoom at a durbar attended by Abuakwa North Education Directorate, the municipal Chief Executive (MCE), parents and other stakeholders, the Senior Partnership Manager of Blyth Academy, David Oancia said Blyth Academy is the largest network of private high schools in Canada with eight in-person campuses and two virtual schools.
Each campus, he said is designed to be a community of 75-150 students with average class sizes of 12 students per class.
He said Blyth Academy offers a comprehensive full-time program as well as night school, summer school, private courses, and online classes in both teacher-led and self-paced formats.
Mr. David Oancia emphasized that in addition to course teachers, students will have access to On-demand tutorials from Ontario based-teachers
“We create unique opportunities for students to reach their fullest potential and ultimately shape the world”, he disclosed.
He was confident Ghanaian students who enroll through Bright Senior High School will reach their full academic potential through acquisition of international certificates.
Blyth Academy was founded in 1977 by Sam Blyth and is now part of the Globeducate network. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Blyth Academy is a chain of private secondary schools with campuses throughout Ontario.
The school also has several international campuses and runs academic credit programs in the summer that travel to over 30 countries around the world.
Blyth Academy in Ontario consists of fourteen (14) campuses throughout the province. A U.S. campus was opened in 2015 in Washington D.C. and a Qatar campus was opened in 2016.
The Bright SHS was recently awarded best Private school by GES and Abuakwa North Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Abuakwa North Municipal Assembly have honoured Bright Senior High School as “Best Private School” in the municipality.
The award comes months after the West Africa International Press Limited adjudged the school as Best Private School in Ghana, 2021 at the Heroes of Distinction Conference and Awards held in Accra.
At a colourful ceremony over the weekend attended by chiefs, a Judge, Parents, Old Students in various universities, colleges and corporate institutions, a citation and plaque award were presented to Bright Senior High school for its sterling academic excellence.
The excerpts of the citation signed by Alhaji Umar Babs Bodinga, and Miss Abena Gyamera ,both Municipal Chief Executive and municipal Education Director respectively, read as follows; “The academic performance of students who graduate from Bright Senior High School has never been in doubt. The school has consistently churned out scholars who excel in the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).The number of candidates who have passed out from the school since 2012 to 2021 amounts to 7,072. The Abuakwa North Municipal Assembly is very proud of you. Ghana Education Service is proud of you. Ghana is very proud of you for all the successes and honour you have chalked. You have made Ghana, Eastern region and Abuakwa North Municipality very proud”
For his part, the Municipal Chief Executive for Abuakwa North, Alhaji Umar Babs Bodinga, explained that the Municipal Education Oversight Committee (MEOC) which he chairs thoroughly assessed academic performance of second cycle institutions in the municipality which unanimously established the consistent outstanding performance of Bright Senior High School in the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in the past three years under the review hence honour.
The MCE stated that, the excellent academic performance of students of Bright Senior High School leapfrogs rankings of the municipality in WASSCE and other quality educational ratings index in the country.
Alhaji Umar Bodinga emphasized for instance that, “the school’s recent performance in the 2022 WASSCE result where 77% of the candidates had from 6As to 8As has raised the image of the Abuakwa North Municipality”.
The MCE therefore made personal pledged to support three brilliant but needy BECE candidates from public basic schools in the municipality to continue their education at Bright Senior High School to enjoy quality education and excel in their academic exploits.
The Eastern Regional Director of Education, Margret Nsiah Asiamah in a speech read on her behalf by Mr. Jonathan Ntow, commended the founding members of Bright Senior High School for advancing quality education in the region.
She stated that liberalization of the education sector allowing private participation has enabled private schools to immensely contribute to quality education in the country over the years, a feat that cannot be told without mentioning contribution of Bright Senior High School.
“The emergence of Bright Senior High School as the Best Private Senior High School in Ghana for the 2021/2022 academic year is an indication of it consistent outstanding performance demonstrated over the years” She said.
The Regional Director of Education spurred up management and Staff of the Bright SHS to sustain the academic gains and glean innovative ways to improve upon it regardless challenges that confront private education in the country.
The Vice President of Bright Senior High School Mr. Dominic Acquah in his address commended the MCE and the Ghana Education Service for acknowledging the hardwork and accomplishments of the school.
He stated that in spite of challenges in running private education institution in Ghana, Bright SHS continue to excel academically due to huge investment in infrastructure and quality teaching and learning.
Touching on the academic feat of the school, Mr. Dominic Acquah explained that in 2017, the school presented 887 candidates to write the WASSCE which 12 obtained 8As, 435 had 7As and the rest obtained 6As to 4As.
In 2018, 15 candidates out of 1,365 presented in the WASSCE obtained 8As whilst 681 had 7As with the rest securing between 6As and 3As
He said the school in 2020 presented 1,158 candidates which they passed with A1 to C6
In 2021when few candidates of the school had standoff with WAEC invigilators over intimidation leading to sudden relocation of the examination centre from the school to OPASS, out of the 837 candidates who wrote the WASSCE, 10 had 8As, 216 got 7As and the rest got 6As to 8As.
In the 2022 WASSCE results released recently, 77% of 853 candidates who wrote the WASSCE exams had 6As to 8As.
The Vice President of Bright Senior High School reiterated call to government to include outstanding private SHSs in the Free Senior High School education policy to ensure equity and fairness while ensuring that education thrive in the country.
He argued, private schools continue to contribute enormously to quality education and job creation in the country therefore the need to be factored in policy interventions of governments.
