Nana Prempeh and Ernest Sowah win 2007 Essay Competition
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Sowah, of 2A3, Serwah House. Prempeh-OWASS 2004 national quiz contest, recently adjudged the greatest contest in
the history of the national science & maths quiz competition, is the greatest scene he has ever seen on TV.
The following are Ernest Sowah's 2 winning essays for the form 2 category:
Essay Number 1:
What is the most spectacular scene you have ever observed on television?
(You are being asked to write about a TV scene that lasted for a few seconds, not an entire TV show).
Scene, in a drama is a subdivision of an act or of a play divided into acts.
A scene normally represent actions happening in one place at a time, and is
marked off from the next scene by a curtain, a black out, or a brief
emptying of the stage. In the study of narrative works, 'scene' is the name
given to 'dramatic' method of narration that presents events at roughly the
same pace as that at which they are supposed to be occuring that is usually
in detail and with substantial use of dialogue.
There are so many scenes that I have observed. Some of them are very
spectacular and awesome. Others are
very insipid and ugly and could let one throw up. Each day, so
many scenes catch our attention but there are some which can never be
forgotten and are stuck in our memories for ever.
There are spectacular scenes which could make one chipper and mine is the
best example. As I sat before my father's 35 year old
television watching "Scooby Doo" one afternoon, there was a commercial break
and then I decided to start fidgeting with the remote control. My eyes
caught some students jubilating and singing their school anthem while one of
the jubilant boys was being interviewed by
a lady who was obscure to the camera. It was all joy for these boys who had
won a fierce quarter final contest against their arch-rivals.
It was 2004. Prempeh College was taking part in the National Science and
Maths Quiz competition organised by Prime Time Limited in Ghana. The Quiz
happens to be the most competitive
and well-followed in Ghana as it is shown on television and schools who have
won the trophies before really feel proud. Prempeh College led by Senior
Louis Oteng met Opoku Ware School in the
quarter final of the competition.
As a JSS 3 boy who lives in Kumasi, I heard so much about the rivalry
between both
schools. It was a problem to even choose one of the schools as my
parents had diifering opinions. While
my mom was of the view that Prempeh College is the best, my dad thought I
should choose Opoku Ware because his elder brother completed the school.
I was very brilliant and the senior prefect of my school at Kwadaso. I asked
so many people so as to know which school I should choose but could not come
to a conclusion. I was therefore waiting for a fine opportunity to make a
choice.
As I sat behind the television set and witnessed that few seconds of
euphoria by
the young men who had triumphed over their rivals and singing their
school anthem, I felt goose bumps
all over my body. I was really thrilled by what I was seeing. I could not
believe that people could love, cherish and adore their school like their
wife or girlfriend. The anthem still keeps reverberating in my ears
"Amanfoo, Arise and Shine...."
The Opoku Ware contestant who was to be interviewed along side the Prempeh
contestant was still in shock and
crying as if he had lost a parent. That made me to know how strong the
rivalry was.
Those few seconds I witnessed after that fierce contest defined my future. I
chose Prempeh College. After gaining admission to Prempeh College, the
'suban ne nimdee' of the college has been inculcated in me so much that I
can smell a great future ahead of me. I feel so proud when I don the green
shirt and so proud of myself to have made that decision.
That scene is the most spectacular in my life and it really caused a
paradigm shift in my life. It will forever be on my mind. I relish that
scene very much as no such scene has ever appeared on television as from
that day on other National Science and Math Quiz competitions.
Essay Number 2:
You have been appointed Prempeh Headmaster for a year. What will be your strategy for absolute,
complete eradication of bullying from the campus culture?
Bullying is the intentional tormenting of others through verbal harassment,
physical assault or other more subtle methods of coercion such as
manipulation. There is currently no legal definition of bullying.
In colloquial speech, bullying often describes a form of harassment
perpetrated by an abuser who possesses more physical and/or social power and
dominance than the victim. The victim of bullying is sometimes referred to
as a target. The harassment can be verbal, physical and/or emotional.
Bullying can occur in any setting where human beings interact with each
other. This includes school, the workplace, home and neighbourhoods.
Bullying can exist between social groups, social classes and even between
countries.
The effects of bullying can be serious and even fatal. It is known that
about 85% of bullying victims suffer long term psychological damage and
stress related disease later in their lives. It is a well known practice as
Prempeh College which has to be nipped in bud completely.
Bullying usually occurs in areas with minimal or no adult supervision. It
can occur in nearly any part in or around the school building, though it
more often occurs in exploratory classes, recess, hallways, bathrooms,
classes that require group work and/or afterschool activities. Bullying in
school sometimes consists of a group of students taking advantage of, or
isolating one student in particular, and outnumbering him. Targets of
bullying in school are often pupils who are considered strange or different
by their peers to begin with, making the situation harder for them to deal
with. Bullying can also be perpetrated by teachers.
As the headmaster of a great college like Prempeh, the responsibilty is so
huge. Prempeh College is seen as the epitome of academia in Ghana. The
college having produced great old boys tells it all. It therefore makes it
so pathetic when some of her students are bullied day in, day out. The
opportunity to head the school for a year will be welcome with so much joy
as steps would be taken to get rid of bullying completely.
The first step at getting rid of bullying is to make it clear that bullying
is never acceptable. As the headmaster, I will reiterate this at school
gatherings every time. Students who do not pay heed to the warning will be
sanctioned when they get themselves caught in the web. They could be allowed
to clear some weeds at the school gardens or fetch plenty water to be used
at the pantry for the preparation of food. This would deter any student from
the act.
Moreover, I will improve the communication among school administrators,
teachers, parents and students. When the communication network is improved,
students will be able to air their grievances and have their problems solved
without any further confrontations. It would be easy for students to
approach a master when there is a disagreement. The Parent Teacher
Association would also advise the parents so they will interact effectively
with the wards and know the worries and fears.
Consequently, there will be an anger and control development center where
stu with problems can go to. Gone are those days when Prempeh College used
to have a resident counsellor to advise them on issues. With this center in
place, there will be a counsellor who will help students and solve various
conflicts and disagreements.
Lastly, I will encourage positive peer relations and also offer a variety of
extracurricular activities which appeal to a range of interests. These will
help cause a rapid, absolute and complete eradication of bullying from the
campus culture.
