PARDA, CB provide ECD block for children learning inside teachers’ private rooms

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An Early Childhood Development (ECD) classroom block has been constructed for some children who are being taught in rooms meant for their teachers to live in.

Authorities at the Achanyeri-Jaata Kindergarten and Primary School in the Builsa North District say the teachers’ residence has served as a classroom block for many years for kindergarten schoolchildren in the area owing to limited teaching space.

The Participatory Action for Rural Development Alternatives (PARDA) and a foreign donor partner, Children Believe (CB), formerly known as Christian Children’s Fund of Canada, jointly provided the new ECD block for the school after its misery had come to their attention. Before the new block was built, the pre-school children used to sit on the floor as the teachers’ rooms were too small to accommodate the learners and their furniture together.

“Let’s make sure these children enjoy this facility. I want to appeal to everyone to take care of the facility. We are handing it over to the traditional leaders and the people of this community. Again, I wish to entreat the Ghana Education Service to assist this community with early childhood educators so that we can use this community as an example for other communities. We would be disappointed if, when we pay a visit, a child has been taught but still cannot pronounce his or her name at age four or age five.

“Traditional leaders and people of this community, please, help the teachers to help the children. And remember, if any teacher abuses a child, PARDA will not take it kindly. And if you are a parent, do not abuse the teachers because they have not done A or B, and do not abuse the little children because they have the right to live and they are our future. We thank you for accepting us into your community and we pray that you will be able to grow and develop your children as you grow along,” the PARDA’s Executive Director, Dr Michael Wombeogo, remarked when the block was officially handed over to the community.

The CB’s Country Manager-Programme, Esenam Kavi De-Souza, in a speech read on her behalf by the Communications Manager of same outfit, William Anim-Dankwa, said CB had delivered over 38 ECD centres so far in a number of communities and had plans to provide more.

“Before the construction of this centre we are about to commission, the people of Achanyeri-Jaata were in dire need of a place of effective teaching and learning for children aged between zero and four years. Today, we can heave a big sigh of relief, to the glory of God, that we have an ECD centre that befits our pre-school children’s needs. It is equipped with play, teaching and learning materials.

“CB has provided over 38 ECD centres with play equipment and adequate furniture. However, many of the facilities have not been maintained at all. Many of the play equipment do not last for two years. This facility should not go the way of others. Very soon we will be congregating at Saboro (a community in the Kassena-Nankana West District) to commission another one. We call on all stakeholders to play their part in ensuring that the children are in school, the materials they need are provided and the teachers are available to support. If we are able to play our part today, tomorrow’s children will be able to do more and bring the industrialisation and the development we need to our communities,” said Mrs. De-Souza.

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The traditional authorities in attendance, led by Nab Gariba Ayeribey Apasugbey, expressed thanks to PARDA and CB for supporting the school in many ways.

A Director in charge of Supervision at the Builsa North District Education Directorate, Martin Amidu, conveyed similar words of appreciation on behalf of the Ghana Education Service (GES) at the ceremony.

“The directorate is so appreciative of the good work PARDA and Christian Believe have done. They have trained our early childhood development teachers as to how to handle and teach these children very well so that we have a very strong foundation. They have trained our teachers how to make teaching meaningful with one of their programmes called ‘Learning through Play’. It is a very excellent programme designed to help the child to not waste his or her energy but to use the energy to learn.

“Through this programme, almost every home now knows that children are not stupid, children can learn anywhere and at any age. They have taught us that we need to get close to our children, we need to love our children, we don’t have to shout on them and we don’t have to insult them. The project they have provided for us in Achanyeri-Jaata is a dream come true. In the past, the kindergarten children would lie on their bellies to learn. Kindergarten classrooms are supposed to be bright with educational materials fixed on the walls. Where they were learning was not like that. But thanks to Children Believe and PARDA for this great work,” said Mr Amidu.

Source: Daily Mail Gh ||Edward Adeti