The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II

Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has urged secondary schools students to take advantage of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy to justify government investment in their future.

Speaking at the 70th anniversary of T.I Ahmadiyya Senior High School (T.I AMASS) in Kumasi on Saturday, he expressed worry at the rate at which some students spend time watching telenovelas at the expense of studying.

This, he said, affects their performances in academic work.

Otumfuo suggested that students watch the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) and other educative programmes as options more suited to their course.

The Headmaster of T.I. AMASS, Yakub Abubakar, on his part, touted the school as the best in sports nationwide with some of its past students in the national athletic team.

He, however, lamented that the school lacks what he describes as ‘befitting pitch’ to facilitate talent development thus he called for immediate intervention.

“It is ones again very ironic to find out that T.I AMASS Kumasi with all its sterling performance in sports to the extent of producing athletes for the national team has no befitting training pitch or a school field.

“T.I AMASS Kumasi since its establishment, in 1950 has not witnessed any major renovation to the physical structures on campus,” he said.

Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Marfo, who represented the President, promised to get an AstroTurf pitch for the school while assuring of attention to other challenges highlighted by the Headmaster.

“We will bring here the Youth and Sports Minister to make sure that as soon as possible your request for the AstroTurf stadium is provided.

“You have contributed so much to sports development in this country that you deserve nothing but a first-class stadium,” he said.