Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku commends Bolgatanga SHS leadership for strong backing of GFA Elite Academy

President of the Football Association, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has met with the Headmaster and leadership of Bolgatanga Senior High School as part of his tour of the Upper East Region, to discuss matters of mutual interest centered on education, talent development and the future of Ghana football.

The President expressed his profound gratitude to the Headmaster, Mr. Anthony Adimazoya, for hosting players of the GFA Elite Academy and commended the school’s management, teaching staff and administrators for their strong commitment to the talent development project. He praised the school for creating a supportive academic and sporting environment that allows young footballers to thrive both in the classroom and on the pitch.

President Simeon-Okraku noted that the partnership with Bolgatanga Senior High School has been instrumental in the successful rollout of the Elite Academy in the Upper East Region, describing the school as a model of collaboration between education and football.

On his part, Mr. Adimazoya thanked the GFA President and his entourage for the visit and expressed appreciation for the confidence reposed in the school. He provided an update on the progress of the players, highlighting the school’s recent success in winning the Upper East Super Zonal Football Championship for the first time in many years, with a squad predominantly made up of Elite Academy players.

The first batch of students under the Elite Ghana Football Academy programme at Winkogo were admitted into Bolgatanga Senior High School three years ago. The initiative forms part of a broader policy by the Football Association to partner selected Senior High Schools across the country to combine formal education with elite football development.

Currently, the GFA Elite Academy programme is being implemented in three Senior High Schools nationwide: Bolgatanga Senior High School, Prempeh College and Achimota School. Under the policy, talented players are identified at the Junior High School level and enrolled into these partner schools, where they receive quality education alongside structured, high-level football training.

President Simeon-Okraku reiterated that the initiative, supported by FIFA, reflects his administration’s strong desire to restore Ghana’s status as a dominant force in African football. He described the Elite Academy project, coupled with the FIFA Talent Identification and Development Programme, as a groundbreaking and strategic investment in the future of the game.

The Academies are designed to collaborate with leading schools in each region, offering a holistic development pathway that balances academic excellence with elite football training, character development and long-term career opportunities for young talents.

The Bolgatanga Academy in the Northern Belt remains the flagship of the initiative, standing out as the only academy with a fully integrated male and female programme.

GFA Communications