Background to the Schools Programme
The Western Region of the Country has one of the highest dropout rates for children and one of the lowest literacy rates in the country. Less than 10% of Primary 6 children are able to read two letter and three letter words. The Enlightening the Hearts programme has been conducting baseline surveys in the district over the last two years which have revealed a very low level of quality and achievement within the school system. The Foundation therefore decided to offer the Enlightening the Hearts Programme to the District Education Office in order to improve the literacy rates of children, first in their mother tongue and then in the second language (English).
Over the last two years, over 150 teachers at the basic school level in 55 Western Region schools have started using the Enlightening the Hearts literacy book in teaching junior youth in Primary 4 to Primary 6 (P4-P6), and in Junior Secondary School (JSS) levels. Since then, there has been growing demand from both public and private schools to train more teachers and to expand the programme to more schools in the Wasa Amenfi District. In response, the Enlightening the Hearts programme is planning to move into another 30 deprived Primary and Junior Secondary Schools as part of their 2003/2004 programme in the District.
Programme Goal:
To empower junior youth with the intellectual and moral capabilities needed to make a positive contribution to their communities.
Components of the Programme:
- Training of teachers from fifty five schools in the District using Enlightening the Hearts methodology for teaching literacy
- "Festival of Words" in each community at the end of the school year, to showcase the students' accomplishments.
- Encouragement and assistance for Parent-Teacher Associations and School Management Committees for the formation of reading clubs and undertaking other post-literacy activities.