Little Causes, Big Effects
Dear Lead For Ghana Community,
Welcome to this week’s edition of Briefings From Lead For Ghana. Here’s what to expect:
Regional Spotlight - Central Region
Educational Statistics
The Central Region is one of the major education hubs in Ghana, with a population of 2,859,821. It is the fourth most educated of the 16 regions of Ghana, with 75.2% of the region’s population six (6) years and older being literate. 79.9% of the region’s male population are literate, while 70.9% of its female population are literate.
14.4% of children three (3) years and older in the Central Region have never attended school. 42.6% of the same demographic are currently enrolled in school while 43% have attended school in the past.
Impact to Date
Lead For Ghana made its way into the Central Region less than half a year ago in November 2023, placing six (6) Fellows in two (2) schools - Mozanno College of Music in the Agona West District and Senya Senior High School in the Awutu Senya District.
Fellows in the region are currently focusing on integrating themselves into their schools and communities, and have not yet embarked on their capstone projects. Nevertheless, they have already made a significant impact, reaching approximately six hundred (600) students and launching various initiatives aimed at enhancing educational results.
Notably, the Fellows at Senya Senior High School have been diligently preparing their students for the National Science and Math Quiz competition. The result of their efforts was evident when their students participated in a friendly match with Swedru Senior High School and emerged victorious.
Fellow Spotlight: Little Mighty Initiatives
The Kpesemkpe STEM Senior High School in the North East Region is one of seven (7) newly established and fairly equipped schools dedicated to advancing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in Ghana. In November 2023, our Fellow Abdul-Basit Sulemana began teaching Chemistry at this institution. He quickly noticed that his students, like those in other underserved areas, struggled with basic literacy. They had difficulties reading, writing, and expressing themselves in English, which posed a significant challenge in teaching complex chemistry concepts.
Addressing this, Abdul-Basit embraced the dual role of English and chemistry teacher. The school's science lab, equipped with smart boards, became an invaluable resource. He prepared slides for his lessons using simple English, allowing chemistry instruction to simultaneously enhance English language skills. As students read aloud from the slides, Abdul-Basit corrected their pronunciation, explained punctuation usage, and simplified sentence structures. He also incorporated images and short videos to clarify concepts further.
Abdul-Basit conducts all classes in the lab to immerse students in a scientific environment, conduct practical experiments, and utilize smart boards to facilitate learning. His approach has markedly improved his students' reading abilities, understanding of punctuation, word pronunciation, and spelling. They have grown in confidence, actively participating in class, and demonstrating increased interest in chemistry, even arriving early for lessons.
On the occasion of World Book Day, we celebrate and recognize the innovative efforts of our Fellows, including Abdul-Basit, in enhancing literacy across Ghana. Their initiatives range from building and renovating libraries to creating mobile libraries, reading clubs, conducting reading sessions outside school hours, and sourcing books from donors,? among others. These efforts significantly impact Ghana's educational landscape, and we are grateful for their dedication. Keep up the excellent work!
Alumni Spotlight - Nachiu Zakaria: A Journey of Dedication And Leadership
领英推荐
In 2021, after spending five years as a private school teacher and then pursuing higher education, Nachiu Zakaria embarked on a new chapter with the Lead For Ghana Fellowship. This decision was driven by his desire to leave his rural community for a greater challenge within the educational sector, seeking a more structured experience that differed from his prior informal teaching roles. He was also drawn to Lead For Ghana’s mission to bridge educational gaps across Ghana which aligned perfectly with his lifelong commitment to education, having focused on basic education at university after completing secondary school.
Despite an initial setback in 2020 when his application was unsuccessful, Nachiu's resolve only strengthened. Encouraged by friends who had previously joined the Fellowship and shared their positive experiences, he reapplied in 2021, got in, and served at the Twereso D/A Basic School in Krachi West, a very remote area in the Oti Region. Nachiu was immediately faced with the harsh realities and logistical challenges of rural education. The local children, including those from a community across a river, initially had poor school attendance, deterred by the physical barriers and lack of resources.
However, Nachiu and his co-Fellows’?initiatives quickly began to make a significant impact. The presence of Lead For Ghana Fellows in the school sparked an increase in attendance, as students from even the most remote areas began regularly attending classes, motivated by the enhanced learning environment the Fellows fostered. This included creating a reading club that met under the street lights for evening sessions, significantly improving literacy and numeracy among the students affected by disruptions like COVID-19.
Despite challenges such as the failure of their capstone project to secure funding for a urinal pit—due largely to previous mismanagement of donations—Nachiu and his team adapted by focusing on feasible projects like the reading club and hosting career days. Their persistence paid off, gradually shifting the perception of GES teachers who initially viewed the Fellows with suspicion. Over time, these teachers began to emulate the Fellows' strategies, improving their punctuality and engagement with both students and parents. Through initiatives like home visits, Nachiu, his co-Fellow, and GES teachers built a strong rapport with parents and local leaders, which was vital in tailoring projects to better suit community needs.
One of Nachiu's notable personal achievements during his tenure was mastering the skill of riding a clutch motorcycle—a requirement that later became crucial in securing his current role as a School Performance Manager with the Rising Academy Network’s Ghana Education Outcomes Project (GEOP). This program, spearheaded by the Ministry of Education, aims to lift literacy and numeracy standards across selected schools, and Nachiu's background as a Lead For? Ghana Fellow gave him a significant advantage during the hiring process. It is also worth noting that about 95% of School Performance Managers under the GEOP program are Lead For Ghana Alumni. In his role, Nachiu oversees five (5) government schools, where he not only observes but also actively coaches teachers, applying the insights and strategies he developed during his Fellowship. His efforts have not only enhanced educational outcomes but also transformed community engagement with education.?
Nachiu's journey with Lead For Ghana is a testament to the power of resilience, innovation, and community-oriented leadership in education. As he continues to drive change and foster educational excellence in Ghana, his story serves as an inspiring example for future educators and leaders aiming to make a meaningful difference in their communities.
Education News In Africa
Ghana: KGL Foundation and Done By Us launch 2024 Africa Street MBA to empower Ghanaian youth
KGL Foundation and Done By Us have officially kicked off the 2024 Africa Street MBA (AfSMBA) project, an ambitious initiative aimed at empowering Ghanaian youth through entrepreneurship training and education.
With its comprehensive, community-focused approach, the 2024 Africa Street MBA has high goals – to open doors of economic opportunity for underserved Ghanaian youth and empower the next generation to shape their destinies. (Source: Business & Financial Times )
Ghana: 'Let’s work in concert to address Africa’s education challenges' – Dr. Adutwum
Ghana’s Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has advocated concerted efforts by governments and education authorities to address the common challenges confronting education delivery in Ghana. According to him, education administration and management challenges are common to countries on the continent, requiring a spirited and united approach to tackle them. (Source: Ghana Web )
Africa: African Education Ministers meet for science conference
At least 12 African Ministers of Education are meeting in Nairobi for the 6th Forum of the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (PASET). The forum, to be held from tomorrow (Tuesday) to Thursday brings together academia, industry, and governments across Africa to discuss the future of skills, education and entrepreneurship on the continent. (Source: Kenya News Agency )
Announcement
Join The LFG Fellowship
Recruitment is still in progress for the next cohort of Lead For Ghana Fellows. Acquire leadership skills that will make a real difference in your personal and professional development. Make a lasting impact on the lives of students in underserved communities across the country. Help shape the future of Ghana, one lesson at a time. Join the Fellowship Program by applying here .
Passion Sprint
23rd April marks World Book and Copyright Day, a day set aside to promote reading, publishing, and copyright. Reading is an integral part of Lead For Ghana’s mission, in that we believe reading exposes young minds to a world of imagination and helps build their vocabulary and language skills. This month, with only GHS 50.00 you can help us provide reading materials to students in our partner schools across the country.
Join The Movement
The work we do is made possible by generous donations and grants from well-wishers and individuals who strongly want to see Ghana and Africa thrive. For us to continue the work we do and expand educational opportunities to all children in Ghana, we are counting on you to support our work by becoming a donor to our cause. Thank you so much and we look forward to you joining our donor community.