Awaso STEM SHS wins inaugural Western North Reading Festival

The Teacher Amoako Foundation, a non-profit organization, has successfully hosted the first annual Western North Reading Festival, a literacy competition held at Sefwi-Wiawso Senior High School.

The event brought together seven senior high schools across the Western North Region to promote reading, literacy, and a culture of learning among students.

Organized in collaboration with the Network for Western North Development, the competition aimed to improve students’ reading and comprehension skills while supporting educational development in the region.

At the conclusion of the festival, Awaso STEM Senior High School emerged as the overall winner with 54 points, earning a cash prize of GH¢4,000. Queens Girls SHS followed closely in second place with 52.5 points, receiving GH¢2,000, while Sefwi Bekwai SHS secured third place with 52 points and a GH¢1,000 prize. The other participating schools—Asawinso SHS, Sefwi Wiawso SHTS, St. Joseph SHS, and Sefwi Wiawso SHS—placed fourth through seventh, respectively.

The event attracted dignitaries including Mr. Bright Korankye Appau, Registrar of Enchi College of Education, and Mr. Michael Napor, Personal Assistant to Nana Tano Kaabah II, Chief of Enchi Kwawu. Nana Tano Kaabah II, who chaired the occasion, sponsored the grand prize for the winning school.

Speaking to the media, 26-year-old Isaac Amoako, the founder of the program, said he was inspired to launch the competition following his attempt at the Guinness World Record for the longest marathon reading aloud at the National Children’s Library in March 2024.

“I realized the importance of promoting reading in the Western North Region, where students often lack access to learning materials and libraries, and where educational resources are limited due to financial constraints,” he said.

Isaac Amoako, a Geography Education graduate from the University of Education, Winneba, who is currently pursuing law at KAAF University, noted that funding the first edition of the festival was a major challenge. However, he expressed optimism about the program’s future.

“We are committed to making this an annual event, with increased sponsorship and prize money. We encourage all students to participate, develop a love for reading, and strengthen their literacy skills,” he said.

The Teacher Amoako Foundation, based in Accra with a branch in Sefwi Wiawso, and the Network for Western North Development have pledged to continue organizing the reading festival annually to foster literacy and educational excellence in the region.