SCHOOL FOR LIFE PRESENTS MOTOR BIKES TO GES

School for Life presented ten (10) Motorbikes to the Ghana Education Service in 9 Districts at the School for Life Head Office in Tamale. On behalf of DFID/SfL CBE Programme, the School for Life Programme Manager presented the bikes to the District Directorate of Education. The Motorbikes were procured under accountable grant 1 & 2 of the DFID funded “Literacy for Life Change Project”.

SfL Programme Manager Presenting the Motorbikes to GES

Under the Literacy for Life change project, two vehicles and motorbikes were among several other assets acquired with funding from DFID. Having successfully concluded the Project, the assets are to be transferred to the Ghana Complementary Basic Education (Ghana CBE) Programme, which is also funded by DFID. Ten of the motorbikes that have deteriorated but are still in good condition are transferred to nine District Directorate of Education (Yendi, Mion, Sagnarigu, Zabzugu, Kumbungu, Nanumba south, Wa West, Central Gonja and Saboba Districts), where School for Life is currently implementing the Ghana CBE Programme.

Presenting the bikes to the bikes to the District Directors/their representatives, the SfL Programme Manager stated that bikes are expected to support the community sensitization and monitoring of the SfL/Ghana Complementary Basic Education Programme in the nine districts. The Motorbikes he said will remain the property of the Districts and as such they are responsible for their maintenance and servicing.

E4L MEDIA REVIEW MEETING, 22/08/2014

By: C&AO, School for Life

The Empowerment for Life (E4L) Programme holds regular media review meetings with media men in Tamale to brief the media outlets on emerging developments in Programme activities and pertinent advocacy issues that can be taken up by the media to make the most impact in target communities.

In today’s session, the education component of the E4L Programme implemented by School for Life, focused on the Ghana CBE Programme. The first cycle of the Programme, which started on a nation-wide scale last year has just ended with Implementing Partners strategizing towards ensuring that all learners graduated are integrated into formal schools.

Deputy Manager for Advocacy and Gender, Lawrencia Dakurah-Abakisi, stressing a point during the meeting

School for Life pointed out that the major advocacy issue in respect of graduated learners from the first cycle, is to get District Assemblies and the District Directorate of GES to make commitments in ensuring integration of the learners, especially those coming from communities without formal schools.

Media Representative from Viasat 1 seeking clarifications

While efforts are being made to achieve 100 percent integration of learners from the first cycle, preparations are on going for start of CBE classes in the second year of the Programme. Community animations and sensitization are currently under way in all Programme communities to identify potential facilitators and to site CBE classes.

Meanwhile, the Ghana CBE Programme Management Unit is currently organizing training for key staff of Implementing Partners, for improved implementation of the programme in the second year. It is expected that concerted efforts will be made towards enhancing working collaboration with District Assemblies, Ghana Education Service, Media Houses and Implementing Partners will result in improved delivery of CBE. Importantly, there is the need for advocacy efforts to be made towards ensuring that the Government of Ghana backs the CBE Policy with legal instrument and make budgetary allocation to CBE implementation in the country. This will ultimately contribute to Ghana’s efforts towards achieving MDG 2, Universal Primary Education and Education for All.

FACILITATORS' DAY UNDERWAY IN CBE DISTRICTS

By: Communications Officer, School for Life

To mark the end of 2014/2015 Complementary Basic Education (CBE) Literacy cycle, School for Life organises Facilitators’ day to celebrate the hard-work, efforts and performance of Facilitators in thirteen (13) districts in which CBE is being implemented. These Facilitators, mostly untrained teachers have worked tirelessly to teach learners (out-of-school children) enrolled in the cycle to attain proficiency in numeracy and literacy after only nine months of instruction.

The Facilitators' day, is usually organised in Programme districts, after CBE learners have graduated to serve a  range of purposes: to appreciate the work of the Facilitators; to provide the opportunity for reflections and learning on what worked well and what the challenges were during the cycle; to engage with stakeholders of education for improved quality of education and to award facilitators for their outstanding performances through-out the cycle.

Facilitators day at the Sagnarigu District

Female Facilitators presented their Certificates

The facilitators’ day has been celebrated in a number of districts, including Sagnarigu and Tolon Districts and is currently being organised in the rest of the district.

 In the Tolon District, the facilitators’ day was particularly emotional because, the district like two other districts (East Gonja and Nanumba North) are no longer going to benefit from the delivery of CBE classes supported by DANIDA. The ceremony in Tolon, had the attendance of the District Chief Executive, the Deputy Director of Education, the Chief of Tolon, SfL Deputy Manager of Operations and other personalities. In the period between 1999 and 2014, Tolon District has produced 10, 916 learners in the SfL model with 20 rising to become professional teachers, 20 still under training and 1 studying Veterinary Medicine at the University of Ghana. The DCE, Chief and Deputy Director of Education of the District, were happy to hear this great achievement by the Programme and pledged to take steps to train a lot more teachers of the formal schools in the SfL methodology to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Amidst the delight and appreciation, the Chief expressed his frustrations regarding the withdrawal of services by SfL and encouraged the organization to consider Tolon District, if any opportunity emerges.

Facilitators’ Day at Tolon District

The Facilitators were Presented with certificates and financial support provided to them. Facilitators pursuing higher education programmes are given financial support to assist them pay their school fees and other expenses.

District Chief Ececutive of Tolon Presenting Certificates to Facilitators

SfL will continue to give this support to all the facilitators until they complete their respective programmes. This is considered one of the ways to ensuring that communities and the districts continue to benefit from the programme after services are withdrawn.