Kenyasi B/A, June 20, GNA - Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) has offered a sponsorship package of 1.5 billion cedis to support a programme aimed at improving teaching and learning in six primary schools in communities within its catchments area at the Ahafo project at Kenyasi.

The three-year programme is initiated by Academy for Education Development, Ghana, Center for Educational Development Evaluation and Management (CEDEM), a non-governmental organisation (NGO). It is expected to start by the end of July and would be implemented by the NGO, the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Asutifi District Assembly.

The beneficiary schools are Kwakyekrom DA Primary, Wamahinso Roman Catholic and Gyedu DA Primary schools.

Others are Kodiwohia DA Primary, Kenyasi Number One Presbyterian and Kenyasi number two Roman Catholic primary schools. Dr. Chris Anderson, Director, Corporate and External Affairs of NGGL, said this at the signing of the contract and launch of the programme with the beneficiary communities at Kenyasi on Tuesday. He said the company was collaborating with the government, through appropriate institutions including civil society groups, to help achieve the objectives of the education strategic plan.

Mr. Stephen Yaw Manu, Executive Director of AED-Ghana;CEDEM, said his organization was establishing partnership with the beneficiary communities and stakeholders in education to work together. He said the organization would support GES to implement the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education.

Mr. Manu said his organization intended to organize a two-day cluster training for the staff of the schools to introduce them to the intervention model and also organize systematic school-based in-service training on correct interpretation of syllabus.

He said pupils would be provided with free learning materials and teachers would also be given teaching and instructional equipment. Mr. Opoku Peprah, District Chief Executive, commended NGGL for its support towards the development of the district.

He appealed to the beneficiary communities to embrace the idea and to adapt innovations that would help tackle the diverse challenges that would confront the programme.