According to Ghana News Agency:ccording to Ghana News Agency, participating schools included Hilla Limann SHS, Funsi SHS, Piina SHS, Lambussie Community SHS, Holy Family SHS, Daffiama SHS, Kanton SHS, and Tumu SHS. These schools had recorded low pass rates, some as low as six percent, in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), particularly in Integrated Science, Mathematics, English, Economics, Geography, and Elective Mathematics.
The two-year SEI project, funded by the Rotary Foundation for USD51,600.00, with support from the Johnson City Afternoon Rotary Club in the USA and individual donors through Professor Hadii Mamudu, sought to double the pass rates in the selected schools. The workshops, held in Tumu and Wa, grouped participants by subject and were facilitated by experienced teachers from top-performing SHSs across the country, focusing on content delivery, pedagogy, and the Chief Examiner's reports.
Mr Abdul Aziz Yahaya Kuusana, an Economics teacher at Holy Family SHS, expressed hope that the knowledge gained would significantly improve teaching methods and student performance. Mr Sulemana H. Sumaila, Headmaster of the Lambussie Community SHS, emphasised the importance of teacher training in improving educational outcomes, saying, 'If a teacher himself doesn't know, how will he teach the children to pass?' He indicated that principals at the workshop would be equipped to better monitor and evaluate teacher performance.
Mr Solomon Amoako, a facilitator from St. James Seminary SHS in Sunyani, revealed that pre-tests were conducted to assess the participants' knowledge and identify key areas for improvement. He said the facilitators, therefore, focused on 'difficult topics' and recommendations in the Chief Examiner's Report, usually overlooked by teachers.
Dr. Issahaque Munawaru, the Deputy Director General of GES in charge of Quality and Access, lauded the intervention and encouraged teachers to uphold values of hard work, honesty, and sacrifice, principles Rotary upholds. Mr David Bawa, the National Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Coordinator in charge of Physics at the GES, said the training would reorient the teachers to frequently consult the Chief Examiner's reports to address common examination pitfalls.
He added that the training encouraged the participants to share and adopt best practices for better academic outcomes. Dr. Zakrea Al-hassan Balure, the President of the Rotary Club of Wa, expressed appreciation for the partnership between his club, K-CEED, GES, and the project funders to impact the students in the selected schools, the region, and the country. He said they would continue to monitor to ensure the participants implemented the ideas learned at the workshop towards achieving the project's expected outcome.
The beneficiary schools received teaching and learning support materials under the project.