Chirano Gold Mines Company Limited has commissioned a GHC 720, 000 ultra-modern science laboratory for Queens senior high school in the Bibiani -Anwhiaso-Bekwai Municipality of the Western North Region.
The company, as part of its corporate social responsibility, has also provided nine schools with computers, laboratories, teacher motivation among other programmes to improve upon the standards of education and youth development in their catchment areas.
Commissioning of the facility, Ms Terence Watungwa, Vice President and General Manager of Kinross Chirano Gold Mines, said the company firmly believed that education of the youth was vital to the socio-economic transformation of every society and it was for this reason that the company had over the years supported the provision of educational infrastructure to schools in its catchment areas and would continue with the commitment.
She emphasised that Queens Senior High School, being the first and only female senior high school in the Western North Region, was specifically chosen to lend a hand to Ghana’s agenda of promoting the education of the girl child for accelerated national development.
“We believe that the science laboratory will inspire many young girls of the school to develop a keen interest and pursue the study of science”.
She said Chirano Gold Mines Company Limited since 2011, had provided $1.8 million as educational support to local communities, which had positively impacted the education of many children in the catchment areas of the company and even beyond.
Mrs Francisca Biney Darmey, Headmistress of the school expressed gratitude to the company, saying, the laboratory would help improve upon the teaching and learning of science related programmes in the school.
She mentioned the lack of teachers’ accommodation, a library, and a sick bay as some of the challenges facing the school and called on other corporate Institutions to assist them.
She commended the government, GNPC Foundation, and the Paramount Chief of Anwhiaso traditional area, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, for their contributions towards the development of the school.