By: Sefakor
Fekpe
Pencils
of Promise (PoP), an NGO in education has commissioned a three-unit classroom
block each for the people of Mpamproase and Asegya in the Asuogyamang District
of the Eastern Region.
The
two Kindergarten blocks worth Ghc400, 000 came to replace the deplorable
structures which according to the head-teachers of both schools were having
dire consequences on teaching and learning especially during the rainy
season.
The new blocks consist of offices to accommodate teachers, sanitation and water storage facilities. This brings to total three completed three-unit blocks after the first one commissioned in Sapor D/A school.
Speaking
at the inaugural ceremony, Country Director of PoP, Freeman Gobah said the organisation
was moved by the dilapidated and life threatening school structures, which were
housing young children; thus leading to the construction of the state of the
art classrooms in collaboration with the District Assembly and the
communities. The District provided 20% in the form of sand and stones
whereas the community assisted with labour.
Mr.
Gobah decried the upsurge in teenage pregnancy which is depriving many girls of
education in the area and called on all stakeholders to come on board to find
lasting solution to the canker.
“We
have to leave our young girls to grow. The rise in teenage pregnancy is not
helping the efforts we are making to provide quality education to yield the
needed results. It was time we put we bring the situation to the barest
minimum,” he urged.
He
also bemoaned the lack of maintenance culture in public schools saying it
discourages investment from non governmental agencies and individuals who may
want to support government in providing infrastructure.
The
District Chief Executive, Thomas Ampem Nyarko who commissioned the two
buildings, challenged the pupils and teachers to strive to perform well
academically and be competitive to other schools in the district since they can
now boast of the best of facilities. He was appreciative of the gesture
from Pencils of Promise.
Within
four years, Pencils of Promise has successfully built 88 classroom blocks;
ranging from three to nine units in 20 and two districts of the Volta and
Eastern regions respectively while 30 others are at various stages of
completion.
It
will finish 12 others in addition to the 88 before the end of 2016 as it will
expand its activities to three more districts in the Eastern region in 2017,
said the Country Director.
Aside
the provision of infrastructure, the NGO has also been training some teachers
on innovative and interactive teaching methods to enhance their capacity.
Another intervention is the provision of e-readers with more than 100 books
each to selected schools.
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