BIBIR-GHANA ASSESS PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOLS IN TAMALE THROUGH QUIZ COMPETITIONS

BIBIR-GHANA, a local non-governmental organization (NGO) with interest in child health and education has organized a quiz competition for two Junior High and three Primary Schools in Kpanvo, a suburb of Tamale to assess their performance after supporting them with learning materials under its library project for two weeks.

For instance, the Tamale Metropolis has a human population of over 350,000 residents (2000 PHC). Besides, there are currently about 800 basic and senior high schools in the city, yet there is only one state owned public library which serves students from all these educational institutions.

Although there are a few other privately owned libraries, those ones including the state owned one, cannot meet the reading needs of the fast growing population in the city.

It is against this background, that Bibir-Ghana which has been operating in Tamale since 2005 established a library to complement the effort of the government to provide schools and pupils with learning materials to boost the quality of education in the area.

According to the Executive Director of Bibir-Ghana Joseph Charles Osei, the library is mainly targeting pupils and students from poor background, but also served the general public as well.

The goal of this project, he said, was geared towards raising the children's educational standards through reading and the provision of quality education, which in turn would bring about improvement of the living standard of people in the Northern Region of Ghana.

Currently, the Bibir library also provides internet services for people who want to do research and further reach out to schools by way of mobile library (taking story books to schools for a period of time and go back for them).

The NGO also donate exercise books, pencils and pens, school uniforms, and school bags to brilliant but needy pupils as well as renovate old school buildings for deprived communities and organize remedial classes for students who are not able to pass all their subjects at the WASSCE.

Meanwhile, Pohim Memorial School Complex emerged winner in the JHS contest with 70.5 points beating Souf-Watul Islamic JHS which obtained 63 points.

Anwar-Rahim Primary School also won the primary school contest with 43 points beating Kpanvo Presbyterian Primary and Souf-Watul Primary which obtained second and third positions respectively with 38 and 26 points.

Individual contestants received prizes comprising of school bags, exercise books among others. The ultimate prize which is a desktop computer, football and notebooks went to the overall winners, Pohim Memorial School Complex.