St. Joseph Primary In Bolga Receives Support From NGO

Pencils and Erasers Club, a Non-Governmental Organisation, has donated about 200 boxes pencils, erasers and sharpeners to pupils of the Saint Joseph's Primary School at Soe, a suburb of Bolgatanga, to aid teaching and learning.

Madam Victoria Amoah, the Founder of the NGO in the United States of America, said the items were the outcome of a promotional programme it organised and supported by residents of the Bristol East Northport, New York, USA.

She said two other schools; Bukere Primary School and Zaare Primary School, all in the Bolgatanga Municipality, would also benefit from the items.

Madam Amoah told the Ghana News Agency after the presentation that the gesture was to support the academic foundation of children in the basic schools saying; 'If you give a child a tool, the child will always advance in education,' she added.

She said the NGO was concentrating on deprived communities adding 'If you really want to make a strong impact, you have to look at areas where the weakness is stronger. It is important to look at children who really need the opportunity to excel'.

Madam Amoah observed that many pupils, especially in rural areas, did not have basic educational needs because their parents could not afford them, hence the NGO's resolve to provide the learning materials to help improve their performance.

She said it would also help to reduce the dropout rates, which were mostly characterised by lack of such items.

She said if performances of pupils at the basic level improved it would ignite scholarships and other gift items from other well-meaning organisations that would enhance their education.

Madam Janet Ayelsum, the Headmistress of the Saint Joseph's Primary, who expressed gratitude for the donation, said pupils, especially from primary one to three, often came to school without writing tools, which made teaching and learning difficult.

The items, she said, would help them to learn more.