Great Victory Academy, a private basic school in Bolgatanga, has once again demonstrated its commitment to practical civic education and youth leadership development by organizing its annual prefects election in a highly structured and democratic-style exercise on Thursday, July 3, 2025.
The mock election replicated Ghana’s national electoral process, offering students an authentic, hands-on experience in voting procedures, civic participation, and democratic governance. From voter registration to ballot casting, each step was meticulously executed.
The school’s cadet corps provided security, while student electoral officials and the school’s media crew professionally managed the entire event. Local media observers were also present to monitor the proceedings.
A total of 789 eligible student voters, comprising learners from Basic 4 and above, participated in the election. Students verified their identities against a voter register before casting their votes, ensuring transparency and credibility throughout the process.
Speaking to the media, Justa Asabiy, the returning officer for the election, explained that the school employs the simple majority voting system, allowing the candidate with the most votes to win.
“The reason we host this annual election in this manner is to ensure that our learners are able to think critically to solve real-life problems in the future.”
“Also, I’d like to add that, per the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, specifically the 1992 Constitution and Chapter 7, all citizens 18 and above are allowed, or have the right, to vote and be registered for public elections. But here at Great Victory Academy, only learners of Basic 4 and above, or in higher classes, are qualified to vote.”
“We choose our winners by simple majority, which means that whoever receives the highest number of votes wins. We don’t follow the Constitution’s 50% plus 1 method; we use the simple majority method to ensure that the election is won freely and fairly.
We understand that an election is a process, not just an event,” she said.
The school conducts this election annually to fill leadership roles after the previous prefects graduate and complete their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Beyond instilling a sense of civic responsibility, students noted that the exercise boosts confidence, public speaking skills, and their understanding of democratic principles.
“Yesterday, they read their manifestos, and with their manifestos, they all made promises which are very juicy and appetizing for you to vote for them. I have seen that this is a very fair way to elect our leaders because I have not seen any fighting or anything with the ballot; the person to vote and all those things,” said Benedict, a student voter.
“On the part of the prefects, I think it has helped them to build their confidence level, and they are now able to speak in public, and it has also groomed them to become future leaders,” another student added.
The election coordinator, Kingsford Animah, stressed that the school’s approach is a deliberate educational strategy to nurture responsible, informed, and participatory citizens.
“As an institution, we feel that we need to expose our students to the democratic process. Most of the time, we educate them about democracy and why there is a need to practice the democratic process. But here in Great Victory Academy, we feel that we should give the students the opportunity to have a feel of what happens in national elections and democracy.”
“And so, we have put this together; that is the main importance of it. Now, we are drifting away from the normal process of electing prefects of the school, where we have to go by the traditional method.”
“We feel that they should do this because, number one, it opens them up for leadership elsewhere. You know, our students, they should know the benefits of electing their own leaders. And it shouldn’t just be an ordinary way, but it should be the ideal way of doing it in a democratic system.”
