Over 2500 students to benefit from SEI Program

Over 2500 students from eight selected Senior High Schools (SHS) in the Upper West Region are set to benefit from the Supplemental Education Intervention (SEI) program.

The initiative aimed to enhance the capacity of teachers and improve students’ performance in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The beneficiary pre-tertiary schools included Lambussie Community, Piina, Holy Family and Funsi SHSs. The rest are Kanton, Tumu, Daffiama and Hilla Liman SHSs.

The program was conceived following years of research that highlighted disturbing low tertiary transition rates among students graduating from the selected SHSs.

To help address the situation, the Rotary Club of Wa, in partnership with Keillor Community Education Economic Development (KCEED) Organization, has launched the SEI initiative to double the performance of the schools at the WASSCE from 6 per cent to 12 per cent in two (2) years.

The USD 51, 600 SEI program is funded by the Rotary Foundation, with support from Johnson City Afternoon Rotary Club, USA, through Dr Hadii Mamudu.

The project will provide teacher training, school supplies, and exam-supporting materials to help the students in the eight schools prepare adequately for the WASSCE.

Dr Zakarea Al-Hassan Baluri, President of the Rotary Club of Wa mentioned that the project came about due to many years of low performance and the inability of students in the selected schools to further their education in any tertiary institutions.

He stated that teachers from these schools will be equipped with the necessary knowledge from experts outside the region and they will then teach the students.

Ms Rita Basaaking, the Executive Secretary of KCEED in her speech observed that education is a fundamental and economic right and yet many individuals are deprived of its transformative power.

Ms Rita Basaaking, Executive Secretary of KCEED

“This SEI Program is our response to this injustice. We believe that by investing in education, we invest in a brighter future for individuals, families, and communities,” she added.

Mr Razak Abdul-Korah, the Upper West Regional Director of Education, admonished the management of the beneficiary schools to take full ownership of the program and ensure that the learners benefit from it.

He stated that the program will only succeed if teachers and management of the beneficiary schools see it as their project.

Mr David Bawa, the National Coordinator of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) at GES, indicated that the project will unlock the potential of thousands of learners.

He commended the Rotary Club and its partners for the intervention and assured the GES support for the program.