NGO implements project in C/R to improve pupils’ performance in BECE

Development, Research and Innovation Centre (YOUDRIC), a Ghanaian non-governmental organisation (NGO), is implementing a project designed to improve the performance of students in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District in the Central Region.

Currently, the NGO is working in the Ashanti, Eastern and Central regions towards the realisation of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4)  to ‘Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all.’

According to the Programme Manager of YOUDRIC, Mr Eric Amano-Mpianim, the organisation has since 2013 been implementing the Basic Education Support Project (BESP), a flagship initiative which has been operating across the region with a designed education programme that seeks to grant pupils in rural communities with the same opportunities as their mates in urban communities.

The project aims at improving the BECE results among students in rural communities by implementing carefully-thought-out interventions designed to improve school quality, access, retention and efficiency in management.

Study centres

Mr Amano-Mpianim said in line with the objectives of the project, YOUDRIC had established study centres in four communities in the district with funding from the Michael Essien Foundation and the North American Women Association (NAWA).

The beneficiary communities are Abeadze, Mando, Nkodwo and Nsawadze.

They have been provided with facilities that are stocked with books and other learning materials to enable the students to have a conducive environment for their studies. Other communities in the district that are benefitting from the NGO’s programme are Besease, Ajumako, Ba and Kromaim.

Reading clubs have also been established in the schools to motivate the students to cultivate the habit of reading in order to improve their academic performance.

Statistics

Statistics from the Ghana Education Service Directorate indicate that since the formation of reading clubs and study centres in these schools and communities, in addition to the provision of other educational materials and services, performances of students in the BECE of the beneficiary schools have improved steadily.

For instance, the Kromaim Methodist Basic School that recorded zero per cent in the BECE in 2014 had 29.41 per cent in 2015, with Mando Methodist JHS that recorded 36.55 per cent pass in 2014 recording 63.41 per cent pass in 2015. The Ajumako Methodist JHS that managed 1.88   pass in 2014 also secured 25.5 per cent pass in 2015.

Presentation

At a short ceremony to hand over assorted library books to some schools, Mr Amano-Mpianim said inculcating the habit of reading in students was very key, since it was the main drive towards achieving academic excellence. He pointed out that since 2011 his outfit had been implementing school-based programmes designed to improve teaching and learning in its catchment areas.

He noted that the Ghana Education Service (GES) alone could not tackle the challenges facing the education sector and, therefore, needed support from NGOs and civil society organisations (CSOs) to improve the standard of education across the country.

He encouraged the beneficiary schools to use the books to improve both the writing and reading skills of the pupils.

The Deputy Director of Education in charge of Supervision and Monitoring in the district, Mr John Addo Hayford, thanked YOUDRIC for its numerous interventions towards improving education in the district.

He said the gesture complemented a similar intervention by USAID in the district dubbed ‘read a book a day’ which is intended to improve reading among pupils in the district.

He called for support from other stakeholders to improve basic education in the district and the nation as a whole.