Primary Education in Ghana

Following the implementation of the FLC project by the PAAJAF Education Institute (PEI) February 2016 to today, all the students benefiting from FLC support have been surveyed periodically, using a list of performance indicators established by the PAAJAF management committee to assess the progress and impact of PAAJAF activities in achieving their overall objectives. Through that process and through the experiences of the project leaders and educators, we report the following comments:

• "Before coming here, I didn't know all the alphabets. Now, I can read all the alphabets. When I see the sign boards I can fully understand where I want to go".

              -- Peter, Student

• "Now I can read and spell by name".

              -- Adu, participant in the adult literacy class

• "My students are learning the English language, Mathematics, Creativity, Religions and Moral principles. Now my students can write from 1 – 100, spell and write their names, and are able to identify the English alphabet and write it. They are also able to recite two to six letter words and are able to do basic reading. We are thankful to the team at GEF for their keen support and this PEI Family Learning (Centre) project".

                  -- Mrs., Rose, Kindergarten II Teacher

• "With PEI being a scholarship school, it has to face challenges of obtaining and maintaining a constant source of funding which is a huge disadvantage over public educational facilities. Because of these funding challenges, there is a pressure on the rented facility and infrastructure, especially the Kindergarten classroom and the crèche, to do more with less. There is also a lack of various teaching aids and equipment".

                   --         Mrs., Jocelyn, nursery I Teacher (and Ms. Rose concurred) on the challenges the FLC must         overcome and why YOUR support is so vital.

Other Observations

We report the following additional observations and accomplishments for this first year of the FLC:

• For the initial pre-school enrollment, 120 children – or 200% of the target goal – matriculated in the first year of the program.

• For the initial adult literacy program, 14 adults – or 140% of the target goal – matriculated in the first year of the program.

• The your support helped ensure that 30 students received full scholarships and 90 others received partial scholarships in year one of the program.

• Fifteen (15) students from the original pre-school population out of 120 will graduate to primary level ceteris paribus -- (ages 7-12).

• Scheduling highlights – The teaching staff confirms:

• For pre-school and primary school, classes were held five times a week, Monday through Friday

• For the adult literacy classes, classes were held 3 times a week; Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Wish List for the Completion of Phase One and Going Forward

While teachers, students, parents and leaders of the FLC are proud of the progress made after the first year of Phase one, we also recognize challenges that lie ahead. We will need additional funding to move the program forward which includes addressing the following needs:

• As the classrooms for the Phase one were rented, the FLC needs to purchase permanent facilities which would help sustain the project for the remaining phases.

• We need funds to purchase tables and chairs to avoid a delay in the start of Phase two.

• The FLC needs funds to purchase of own land for the school.

• We need funds to purchase a school bus.

• There is an acute lack of funds to employ sufficient staff such as teachers, cleaners and kitchen staff.

• Additional support is required to pay for educational supplies and continue the daily nutrition program.

• We recommend staff conduct a supply inventory check at the end of each economic year to ensure adequate supply of school materials for the following academic year or implement plans to purchase what is missing. For example, the FLC had an insufficient supply of stationery for the recently completed academic year.

Quote from the In-the-Field Traveler from GlobalGiving, Alix Hallora Alix Halloran:
"Paajaf is helping so many young children start and stay in school! I'm excited to see them expand so they can help more children in Gbawe!"

The year 2016/2017 academic year was successfully ended and we have ushered into the last school term in the 2016/2017 school year of which we are in June 2017 now. The PAAJAF Foundation and our students at PAAJAF Educational Institute (PEI) are much appreciative you all our generous donors for your kind-hearted giving to support our project in Ghana.

As Alix attest to the work we are doing here in Ghana, PEI is currently giving scholarship school education to 150 students through your generous donations from you. Report from our Parent Teacher Association meetings - our school is one of the top 10 schools whose students are performing well in academics though we have just our phase one of the project.   Also, the community reposts hammering on the same thing and applauding our effort in the community! We thank you. In fact, we have not got any adverse information about the schools and our students they are all doing well. Your donation is adding value to disadvantage children lives here in at PAAJAF and in Ghana, Africa.

We have a need, we would like to appeal to you to help us to move from our rented premises - Our school venue is currently in rent premises of which it is too expensive. Would you please support us? Do you know any organization that build school or a friend who will be interested to partner or support our project? July 12, 2017 is GlobalGiving bonus day to get all donations match at 50%. Would you help us on that day? PAAJAF is superstar parternship at GlobalGiving so all donation will be matched at 50% Please do you have any questions? If yes, please let us know. I will be creating appeal that will send to you as reminder in the next coming days.

Once again, thank you very much for your support to our project and believing in us.

Philip Appiah