MOMA

Establishment

In 1989, the idea of establishing a school at the Mt. Olivet Methodist Society, Dansoman, started gaining ground. The idea was the brainchild of the late Bro. Benjamin Ackom Wilberforce, which was whole-heartedly endorsed by the Leader’s Meeting of the Society. It was increasingly felt that formal Christian education for the children of the church would ensure their total intellectual, physical and spiritual development.

In October 1989, therefore, the late Brother E. K. Ansah, a retired educationist, was tasked by the Society to work out modalities for actualizing the school idea. An education committee was , herefore, formed to assist him in the task. Sis. Cecilia Acquah and Mrs. Janet Osei were recruited to facilitate the preparation and enrolment of new pupils into the School.

With the preparatory work done, the School was formally opened in October 1990 with a kindergarten class of 30 pupils and two teachers. Sis. Cecilia Acquah, of blessed memory, became the first Head teacher with the late E. K. Ansah, the then Administrative Officer of the Society, ably supporting her. The first step was thus taken in this long journey of a thousand miles.

The basic objective of the church was to establish a school that would provide sound Christian education to alleviate the hardship residents (in the Dansoman area) were facing in getting schools for their wards.

The Kindergarten grew quickly into Primary School and in March 1994, the School was officially registered with the Ghana Education Service and was classified as Grade ‘A’ school. At age 7, the obvious thing was to start the Junior Secondary School programme.

Thus, in April 1997, the GES granted approval for the JSS programme to start. After a very rigorous

inspection, the J. H. S section opened in September 1997. Mt. Olivet Methodist Academy came full circle in August 2000 when its first batch of students graduated.

Management of the School

The School is managed by a School Board with the Superintendent Minister of the Society as the School Manager and Chairman of the School Board. It is noteworthy that the school has always been blessed with hard-working and devoted managers. These men had worked harmoniously with the School Board / School Management Committee and the School Administration to realize the vision of the Society in setting up the school.

In 1997, during the tenure of The Most Rev’d. Dr. Robert Aboagye-Mensah, the School Board was reconstituted under the name School Management Committee (S.M.C). The late Brother Benjamin Ackom Wilberforce was elected the first Chairman of the S. M. C.

Since 1990, the School has had three heads without whom it would have been an arduous task for Management to chalk the successes so far achieved.

The first head was Madam Cecilia Acquah (now deceased) (1990 – 2002). In the year 2000, Mr. JamesnAddo-Bamforo was appointed Headmaster for the Junior Secondary department to assist Madam Acquah who remained the Chief Executive of the School. The current head, and the third, is Mrs. Mary Polley (2002 to date). These heads have been ably supported by dedicated teaching and administrative staff, to make the School attractive, not only to residents of Dansoman, but also to children as far away as Kasoa.

Progress and Achievement Growth

Over the 24 years, the enrolment has seen tremendous growth. The School has Pre-school (2-4 years); Primary (6 years) and JHS (3 years). This makes the School a one-stop Academy that takes pupils from age 1½ and prepares them to enter Senior High School by age 15.

The teaching faculty had also grown from 2 in 1990 to 43 in 2014. These are trained and experienced teachers who are equally committed to the intellectual and spiritual development of the students. With a crop of committed administrative and accounting staff , the system has been running smoothly. The non-teaching staff number 20.

Infrastructure

The School has seen a massive infrastructural development since its inception. It is worth noting that the entire block was constructed through labour, cash and material contributions by members of the Church. The supervisory work was done by Brothers J.F. Arthur, Donald Danquah and E.K. Amamoo. To the glory of God, the School now boasts of 23 classrooms, well-equipped with desks, tables, chairs and teaching and learning materials. Considerable development took place over the last four years at the instance of the SMC under the Chairmanship of Bro. N. K. Bulley. The facilities available are:

1. A well-equipped Pre-tech Workshop
2. A spacious state of the art school canteen
3. A modern catering department
4. A science laboratory
5. A computer laboratory
6. A well –stocked school library and
7. A sick bay manned by a qualified School Nurse.
8. There is a standby gen-set for use when the national power goes off.

These infrastructural developments provide the kind of school environment every parent would look up to.

Academic Achievement

Mt. Olivet Methodist Academy is perhaps, better known for its achievements at the BECE than for its imposing school building. Since 2000, the School has consistently scored 100 per cent at the BECE. Not only that, the quality of the results is what makes MOMA different from other schools.

The School has received many commendations from the Methodist Church Ghana and the Mt. Olivet Methodist Society for its track record. In 2007, the Academy won the Accra Bishop’s Award for Academic Excellence.

Other Achievements

The Academy has other achievements some of which are:

– Receiving numerous sports awards

– Embarking on various charitable deeds, like visiting and donating to the Korle-Bu Children’s block, Bawjiase Orphanage and Amormoley community in the Ga mission.

– MOMA also holds one of the best interesting graduation ceremonies in the community.

The Role of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

The School has a dynamic PTA whose members are committed to the progress of the School. It is the collaborative work between parents and teachers that account for the School’s successes.

Social Responsibility – Mt. Olivet Medical Team

The formation of the Mt. Olivet Medical Team has its origin from a meeting held on 05 May 1998. Present at this meeting were Prof. Kobina Nkyekyer, Dr. Eric Sifa, Sisters Agnes Plange, Agnes Asare, Dora Ephraim and Agnes Bulley who were briefed by a member of the Circuit Committee on Social Responsibility that provision of health care is also part of evangelism. She encouraged the health workers in Mt. Olivet Society to form a team to provide medical services to brethren on regular basis.

The team continued to meet and had more members including Bro. Ofe-Amoyaw-now The Rev’d Ofe Ameyaw (Chemical Pathologist), Sisters Margaret Annim, Abena Kesse, Grace Boahene, Beatrice Nkyekyer, Stella Tamakloe, Patience Oyokola, Juliana Pepra and Mary Haizel.

Objectives of the Mt. Olivet Medical team

i. The management of minor ailments at Church Services and functions

ii. Educate Church members on health issues

iii. Provide primary health care

In line with the social responsibility to make health care part of the evangelism effort, the Medical Team resolved to visit the following mission areas, in turns, once every month – Jei Krodua, Adawukwa, and Odupong-Ofaakor. These medical visits proved extremely popular and very successful.

The medical team offered free primary health care and treatment of minor ailments. The more serious cases were referred to the nearest district hospitals and Polyclinics. The visits to these villages stopped when the mission work was handed over to the Winneba Diocese.

At the Society level, the medical team established a viable monthly medical clinic on the Second Thursday of every month. This has been in existence since 13th July 2000. These monthly clinics are well patronized and doctors and other medical professionals are always present. The team attends an average of 20 clients daily in each clinic.

Another laudable programme introduced by the team is the bi-annual blood donation campaign. The Society is able to mobilize 80-100 units of blood on each occasion. The Korle Bu Blood Bank has become a worthy partner in this enterprise. During the Health Week, some members of the team go to organizations in the Society to give health talks.

For the past few years, the Society has embarked on public health campaigns on Hepatitis B. The whole process is voluntary and free for clients since. The cost of the vaccine is borne by the Society.

Medical screening with emphasis on Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity and Eye is held at least once a year. First aid treatment is offered as and when necessary during Divine Services. Serious cases are referred. Members of the team facilitate the referred cases.

From a humble beginning with two doctors and four nurses, the team grew to six doctors and sixteen nurses and other medical personnel as follows:

1. Doctors:
   Prof. Nkyekyer,
   Eric Sifa,
   Yaw Boateng Mensah,
   Margaret Neizer,
   Abena Sarpong,
   Amma Ghunney.
2. Nurses
   Alice Akiwumi, Agnes J. Bulley, Agnes Plange, Margaret Annim, Ernestina Inkoom, PatienceOyokola, Mercy Bonya, Comfort Nyarko, Dora Ephraim, Georgina Adu Amponsah, Naa AdjeleyBoateng Mensah, Beatrice Affram, Abena Kesse, Hannah Wilson, Nana Araba Inkoom, JulianaSifah and Raymond Essel
3. Pharmacist: Stephen Corquaye
4. Chemical Pathologist: The Rev’d. Ofe-Amoyaw

Acknowledgement

On an auspicious and historic occasion like this the Society appreciates all who have in divers ways contributed their quota, ranging from donations; use of professional expertise; serving on various committees etc.) from the inception of the Society to making it what it is today.