The first phase of the Creative Arts Senior High School at Kwadaso in the Ashanti region is scheduled to be ready for use by February, 2022.

During a tour of the site, Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum revealed, “we have been assured that by December, phase one will be completed and when that happens, we can open the doors to learners from across the country. The school is to begin its first opening in the next academic year which begins next year January, or February.”

Stakeholders are upbeat about the school’s contribution to the growth of the creative arts industry.

Last year, stakeholders began the operationalization process and put together people from the creative arts industry to help design the curriculum.

The first phase of the project is expected to be ready by next academic year, which starts in February, 2022.

The first phase comprises Classroom blocks (V BLOCK), boys and girls dormitory, dining hall, Headmasters’ bungalow, and Assistant Headmaster's bungalow and Administration block.

The girls’ dormitory takes about 750 beds, whiles the boys’ dormitory takes about 500 beds.

In addition, the school, when completed, will have twelve laboratories.

“So it is not going to be only arts, all the students are going to do science as well, because you know science fiction movies – these are creative minds”, the Minister explained.

The school will recruit creative arts talents from across the country to study with the aim of strengthening and reviving the Kumawood industry.

Dr Adutwum is positive it will create the next Kumawood to get to a point where a creative arts talent that is best in the world will be discovered.

Why the Creative Arts School?

Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, during a visit, said the school is designed to serve as a hub for producing creative arts talents in Africa.

Launched in 2016, construction is progressing to meet completion schedule.

Dr Osei Adutwum was impressed with the level of work during an inspection of the project site.

The vision of the President, according to him, is very clear that he promotes STEM, and doesn’t leave creative arts behind.

He says the government's move is to whip up the interest of the youth to learn creative arts in a more refined way.

“Here is a creative arts institute; the best and brightest in the nation will be selected to come here. Some children are naturally gifted and are talented but don’t have a school to go to, so this is the place where the gifted and talented will come and hone their skills”.

Dr Osei Adutwum continued that it will be known as the gifted and talented education Centre in this part of the world.

“So that when we talk about the next Michael Jackson of the world, this is where they will be nurtured and this is where the whole world will come and recruit African talents.

Member of Parliament for the Kwadaso Constituency, Samiu Kwadwo Nuamah, says the school will contribute to the socio-economic development of the Kwadaso community and environs.

“I think that there are a lot of untapped talents, especially in Kwadaso. And we believe that this institution will help us unravel these talents that are crucial in Ghana’s socioeconomic development and transformation.”

He added that, the perception that it is only the grammar schools that are important for economic transformation is not totally correct.

“We believe that talents must be unraveled and it will help Kwadaso, Ashanti and the country for us to have the next brilliant, skillful and talented children who will help this country move forward

We thank government for choosing Kwadaso as the Centre of Excellence in promoting economic advancement in this country through Ashanti Region”.

Meanwhile, operationalization processes are ongoing, awaiting recruitment of teachers and instructors.

Contractors assured the Minister work will be completed on schedule.