New Abirem District Assembly (DA) Basic School ‘A’ has won a special reading competition organised to help broaden the horizon of pupils and sharpen their skills in reading.
The school emerged as the winner among 17 schools that took part in the competition organised by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Ntiamoah Foundation, as part of its commitment to education development and health promotion.
For its prize, the winner of the competition took home a trophy, a wall clock and some stationery.
The second-placed school, Hweakwae Roman Catholic Basic School, received a wall clock and stationery, while Nkwateng Seventh Day Adventist Basic School, which placed third, received a quantity of stationery.
Earlier, the NGO organised a five-day orientation workshop for the teachers of the 17 schools and coordinators of Ntiamoah Foundation to improve their efficiency.
Initiative
A Board member of Ntiamoah Foundation, Dinah Asante, said the reading club was started in 2021 using educational games to improve literacy and numeracy skills, to encourage reading culture among the children.
She said after three years, the NGO wanted to expand the initiative by introducing new intervention levels using behavioural, expressive, attitudinal and mental (BEAM) intelligence.
Ms Asante explained that the beam initiative stood on seven pillars to support the thorough development of the pupils.
She mentioned the pillars as educational games, creative expression, body systems, skill-based activities, resource persons, practical experiences and strategic partnership for capacity building and digital literacy, expressing optimism that the seven pillars would provide the required echo system needed to help the pupils to improve their skills and also excel both internally and internationally.
She said to move the initiative forward, there was a need to bring together all the stakeholders in the Birim North District, such as the district directorate of education, coordinators, head teachers, parents, and the participants from their reading clubs.
Extend gesture
The Programmes Manager of Ntiamoah Foundation, William Sarpong, expressed appreciation to the head teachers, coordinators, the contestants and the entire reading club members in the district for their efforts at making the competition a success.
The Birim North District Coordinator of Childhood Education, Patricia Oforiwaa Asante, commended the Ntiamoah Foundation for organising such an educative programme, which was not only going to improve interest in reading but also impact teaching and learning.
She, however, appealed to the NGO to extend the gesture to all the 73 basic schools in the district.
