Ghanaian blogger and humanitarian Kobby Kyei has encouraged young people not to be discouraged if they are placed in less popular secondary schools.

He stressed that success depends more on determination than on the name of the school you attend.

Speaking to Irene Adubea Aning on The Career Trail, aired on Joy Learning TV and Joy News, he recounted his own secondary school journey and how he turned what looked like a setback into a success story.

According to him, after completing junior high school during the second batch of the computer placement era, he had high hopes of attending top schools like Mfantsipim, Swedru Secondary (Swesco), and Aggrey Memorial.

“I attended international schools; I was very good academically, so I was confident of getting into a big school. We checked; it was loading, and we were praying. Boom! Nyankumasi Ahenkro Secondary School. That was where I was posted. My family had no idea about this town or the school,” he recounted. 

He narrated how his father personally visited the school before his admission and assured him it was a decent place. Yet, when he finally arrived, his expectations were shattered.

“We got to the entrance and I started crying. They didn’t even have an entrance. You know, when you get to a secondary school, the entrance alone gives you hope of glory. But here, nothing. There were only about four buildings. No boys’ dormitory. We were sleeping in classrooms. We bathed outside. If you wanted to poo-poo, you went to the bush. And mind you, most of my colleagues were in Mfantsipim and Aggrey. I kept asking myself, 'What did I do wrong?'” he recalled.

Despite these challenges, his father’s words became his motivation.

“My dad told me, ‘Stay here and make me proud. I don’t have the financial capacity to lobby for you.’ So I adjusted my mind. I said, the school is within you, not the environment,” he noted.

Kobby Kyei revealed that this advice reshaped his mindset.

“I told myself that the school is within you, not the environment. Even though I didn’t get Mfantsipim or Swesco, I was writing the same examination as those students. What mattered was how seriously I took my studies,” he explained.

Today, he says people often assume he attended an elite school because of his success, but he uses his story to caution against that mindset.

“Some people went to top schools like Mfantsipim and Adisadel, but today their stories are nothing to write about. Attending an A-class school doesn’t automatically make you successful. It’s your determination, your studies, and your vision that matter,” he emphasised.

The blogger also used the platform to encourage parents.

“Sometimes you don’t have the financial means to push your children into the big schools. But support them spiritually, emotionally, and financially in any way you can. That’s what my parents did for me,” he urged.

He, however, underscored the importance of a strong foundation at the basic level.

“No matter your circumstance, make sure you give your children a good foundation. If the foundation is weak, it will affect the whole building. But once the basics are solid, they can thrive anywhere,” he advised.