Kwamoso (E/R)-Ghana, Nov. 26, GNA – Plan International Ghana has provided a fully furnished six-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities to Kwamoso Presby School in the Akuapem North Municipality of the Eastern Region to help alleviate the school infrastructure deficit in the area.
The newly constructed school building features a library where children can access contemporary books and other reading materials, as well as an ICT laboratory with computers, a laptop, and a projector, along with the head teacher’s office and staff common room.
Kwamoso community leaders, Plan International Ghana officials, the Ghana Education Service office in Akuapem North Municipality, and the Presby Church were all pleased with its successful completion.
Mr Barima Asiedu-Larbi, Akuapem Municipal Chief Executive, expressed thanks to Plan International Ghana for the assistance, saying the facility would help reduce the municipality’s school infrastructure deficit.
“The Plan Ghana effort has been very phenomenal in the lives of many rural parents and school going children; we will be indebted to you,” he stated, and appealed for more support.
He urged the school officials and the community to take care of the facilities, stating, “You should not hesitate to report any defect to the municipal education office for necessary action to be taken to remedy the situation.”
Mr. Solomon Tesfamariam, Plan International Ghana Country Director, said he was unhappy when it was not completed last year, but added, “Today, as I was driving in, I saw a newly constructed school, and I am extremely happy.”
He added, “I am happy we can educate Ghanaian children in such a beautiful, clean, well-constructed facility, and I really hope and pray many Ghanaian children, not only those who are currently going to school, but in the future many children will be educated and have access to a wonderfully educational facility.”
He explained that funding from Denmark, Canada, and other countries was used to build the school facilities, and that the library would allow students to access books and reading materials to educate themselves beyond what they were taught in class.
He was particularly impressed with the head teacher’s office and staff common area, which would allow “teachers to reunite, reflect, discuss, and come up with new ways to improve the school system.”
Again, he asserted that the ICT room, equipped with computers and ICT resources, would help children learn how to read and become digital.
Mr. Tesfamariam praised the district education office’s leadership, traditional leaders, teachers, parents, and volunteers for their outstanding partnership that resulted in the successful birth of the school block.
Mr. Nicholas Kwaku Darko, Deputy Director of Ghana Education Service in Charge of Supervision and Monitoring, Akuapem North Municipality, praised the initiative and stated that this was not the first time Plan Ghana had provided educational assistance to the municipality, adding, “We are now implementing their “Be Smart” project.
He also said the school building was designed to improve teaching and learning, and that in order to justify the investment, parents should prioritise their children’s education and enrol them in the school.
Mr Darko also noted that there had been multiple incidences of thieves breaking into school buildings and stealing computers, adding, “We are pleading with the people of Kwamoso to be vigilant as watchdogs for this project.”
“Let’s be vigilant in protecting these computers from theft so that our children’s education does not suffer,” he added.
Commenting on the project’s commencement, Mr. George Koranteng, Head Teacher at Kwamoso Presby School, said it was started in 2015 but was halted to make room for an ultramodern health centre, adding that Plan International Ghana returned in 2019 and finished it this year.
Prior to the newly constructed school block, he stated there were few classrooms in comparison to the population, putting huge strain on both classrooms and teachers.
“During that period, we had more enrolment than classrooms. We had 50 to 55 students in a class when we were only supposed to have a maximum of 35,” he explained. “So this project has come to ease pressure on classrooms and teachers.”
Mr. Koranteng was especially pleased with the new computer laboratory, which was outfitted with 25 personal computers, a laptop, and a projector for use by school children.
“We have never had a single computer in this school; we use teachers’ personal computers to teach ICT, so we believe that with this intervention, ICT teaching and learning can be done and done effectively going forward,” he said.
“We also foresee that because of this intervention, we’ll be having good results in ICT,” he added. “Looking at the state of this structure, it’s going to create a lot of comfort for teaching and learning.”
The Chief of Kwamoso, Nana Kwame Donkor Kissiedu II, Akrahene of Akuapem, also praised the collaborative efforts of community members and leaders who prepared for the successful completion of the school.
A project maintenance was established to oversee the upkeep of the school building and associated facilities and property.
