The 1994-year group of Sogakope Senior High School Old Students Association and all well-wishers shall converge at the school from, September 27-29, 2024 to climax activities marking the 30th anniversary of the group.
The uniqueness of this group is the that, it comprised of students from the old secondary school system and the new senior secondary school system. Whilst those under the old system were admitted in 1989, those under the new system were admitted in 1992 to pursue various courses and completing in five years’ time and three years’ time respectively.
As such, this new system brought a lot of tension and unnecessary rivalry among the students of both streams. Whilst those under the old systems referred to their colleagues from the new system as juniors, their colleagues from the new system sees them as equals.
This unhealthy rivalry continued throughout the years and got heightened at final year because of the school’s management decision to share the student leadership positions equally among students from the two systems.
This unpopular decision was vehemently opposed and fought fiercely by the students from the old system. However, the school management prevailed and the positions were shared equally, albeit, they have somehow compromised by giving the assistant positions to our colleagues from the new system and succeeded in massaging the egos of the students from the old system.
It is worth recounting this experience because it greatly affected our interpersonal relationships at school and far beyond school. The relationship with our seniors was great despite the punishment and the bullying, but with our own colleagues, we were always on the defensive. Thankfully, with the formation of SOGASCO’94 Old Students Association, all these differences that have extended even beyond school has come to an end, giving way to a very harmonious relationship.
Our stay at SOGASCO can best be described as time well spent, even though, it was a mix bag of happy and difficult moments. The lovely teachers we had, who left no stone unturned in nurturing us, the entertainment evenings, the inter-college sport competitions, the sumptuous meals, the running away to bread market in town and above all the great relationship we shared together with colleague students.
It was not all that rosy at the time but looking back now, it was all meant for our good and also living our school motto; No Cross No Crown. Having to walk miles to fetch water from the Volta lake to the school kitchen so that the staff can prepare meals for students.
Followed by going to fetch water for your school father (mother) and yourself for bathing and washing. This morning and evening routine put a lot of stress on us and the punishment for not doing it was not to be dreamt of.
The grounds work starts from Fridays after lunch with weeding the most difficult aspect and followed with inspection on Saturday with our beds laid with white bedsheets and standing by your bed. At the time, the mention of the senior housemaster’s name was enough to put shivers down the spine. It was delight if your house came up on top.
The early Saturday morning road works and weekday dawn trotting with the seniors whipping students to get out of bed and hiding behind the hedges to whip students if you dare to walk. However, the accompanying entertainment (jama) was enough to compensate for getting up early.
The hard training has given us good foundation for the future and today, members of the year group are working in various sectors of the Ghanaian economy and abroad contributing their quota to national development.
With the formation of the Old Students Association, the group has contributed in diverse ways to the infrastructure development of the school, the development of the students through career and mentorship programs, contribution to health delivery at the school among others.
To mark the celebration of this milestone, the group embarked on yearlong activities which would be climaxed with a Speech and Prize Giving Day on September 28, 2024 at the school assembly hall at 10.00am to award deserving students.
This event serves as homecoming for all old students of the school as we celebrate and reminisces our student days at the school. We acknowledge the effort and patience of our teachers and the school management in training us despite our recalcitrant attitude. We are very grateful to all of them.
