Bibir-Ghana Provides Support To Ten Savelugu Schools

Mr. Kumah [L] receiving items from Mr. Osei [R]

Bibir-Ghana, a non-governmental organization working in less endowed communities in the Northern Region of Ghana, has presented assorted textbooks and other learning materials worth GH¢28,770.00 to ten selected basic schools in the Savelugu-Nanton Municipality whose performance at the annual BECE is said to be very appalling. 

The textbooks included Science, Mathematics, Religious and Moral Education, ICT, Citizenship Education, Creative Arts and Dagbani Literature, covering primary one to six syllabuses as well as mathematical sets, maps, rules, pair of scissors, colour pencils, and among others.

The presentation of the materials to the beneficiary schools in the Savelugu-Nanton Municipality was part of the implementation of an educational project by Bibir dubbed “Supporting Basic Education in The Communities of Northern Ghana.”  

A survey by the Ghana Education Service in the municipality suggested that, of the 22 Junior High Schools that were presented for the 2012 Basic Education Certificate Examination, 15 schools scored below 40 percent representing 68.20 percent.

Some of the underlying causes attributed to the woeful performance of the schools included candidates lack of adequate understanding of simple concepts in their subject areas; incomplete coverage of syllabus/loss of contact hours; weak foundation at the primary level; poor attitude of teachers towards work; lack of standardized mode of assessment to track schools performances and high level of truancy among BECE candidates after registration.

Funded by Intervida, a Spanish donor organization, the Bibir project which began this year has so far built the capacities of Parent Teacher Associations, School Management Committees and Teachers selected from the ten schools whose performance had been dwindling over the years at the BECE. 

Receiving the materials from the Executive Director of Bibir-Ghana Mr. Joseph Charles Osei on behalf of the beneficiary schools, the Savelugu-Nanton Municipal Director of GES Mr. Joseph Kumah, thanked the NGO for its unflinching support towards the educational sector in the region.

Mr. Kumah pledged the materials would be put into proper use in order to avert the poor performances of the various schools so that it would enable the Northern Region to catch up with the rest of the country.  

Meanwhile, Bibir-Ghana is a local NGO based in Tamale with its operational areas in the Tamale Metropolitan, Tolon/Kumbungu Districts and Savelugu-Nanton Municipality. Established in 2005, the organization works with mainly women and children in deprived communities. The emphasis is on giving children a good environment and health to enable them gain access to formal education so as to be the motor of change in society.