Accra: Oseadeeyo Kwesi Akuffo Foundation (OKWAF), in collaboration with US-based nonprofit Books for Africa, has donated educational resources including science and mathematics textbooks, storybooks, and artificial intelligence (AI) materials to 15 schools in Akuapem North Municipality.
According to Ghana News Agency, this intervention was made possible through the support of the Ghana Education Service, which facilitated the selection of beneficiary schools in line with the government’s strategic push to expand Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education programmes and integrate it across schools.
The donation was made in the full view of the Okuapemman State during a vibrant ‘Okudae’ celebration at the palace of Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo, Okuapehene, in Akropong-Akuapem. ‘Okudae’ is a significant cultural event that celebrates the spiritual, agricultural, and communal life of the Akuapem people, symbolizing the end of the yam farming season and marking the beginning of the harvest period. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency ahead of the presentation, Mr. Emmanuel Asa-Ntow, Executive Director of OKWAF, explained that the donation formed part of Okuapehene’s vision to empower students and uplift education in the Akuapem area.
‘The Foundation, in collaboration with Books for Africa based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, is working to address the gap in access to educational resources,’ he said, citing findings from a needs assessment conducted by GES in Akuapem North. He emphasized that the initiative was designed to spark a reading culture among pupils and encourage early interest in artificial intelligence and engineering.
‘The idea is to raise a generation of curious, future-ready minds from this part of the globe to catch up with global innovation,’ Mr. Asa-Ntow noted. As part of its broader educational drive, OKWAF has instituted scholarship packages for brilliant but underprivileged students. ‘We currently support students at KNUST (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology), Ghana Communication Technology University, the University of Ghana, and other institutions,’ he added.
The Foundation is also piloting a robotics programme at Presbyterian Junior High and Salem Basic Schools in Akropong, aimed at cultivating young learners’ talents in STEM and AI. According to Mr. Asa-Ntow, collaboration is also underway with Ghana Telecom University and the Ningo Block to provide technical support. In addition, OKWAF has partnered with Trans-Atlantic Industries to distribute bicycles to deserving but needy children in the hinterlands of Akuapem, to ease their daily commute to school.
Mr. Asa-Ntow urged teachers to guide students away from social vices and devote time to nurturing academic excellence, saying; ‘The academic competition is keen. These children must stay in tune with it to thrive.’ Speaking on behalf of the Municipal Director of GES, Mr. Kojo Agyemang, Human Resource Manager at the Akuapem North Directorate, lauded OKWAF for its continued support.
‘We’ve received assistance from the Foundation in recent times, and we are committed to ensuring these materials are well utilized,’ he said. He noted that the books would enrich the language skills and intellectual growth of learners, particularly in underserved areas. ‘Public-private partnerships like this are vital in complementing government efforts,’ he added. Mr. Agyemang assured the Foundation of rigorous oversight by school improvement officers to protect and properly manage the books. He also appealed to individuals and organizations to invest in the district’s education sector.
In interviews with the Ghana News Agency, Emmanuel Ainoo and Akonobea Amoako, students from PCE JHS and Primary Demonstration School, expressed deep gratitude to the Foundation and Okuapehene. They described the books as timely motivation to strive harder in their studies and make Okuapemman proud.