Keta Education Director Lauds Right To Play Ghana

Mr. Kovey, Municipal Education Director handing over a certificate to one of the Award winners

Right To Play Ghana has roundly been praised for introducing the play-based learning methodology which enables teachers to incorporate play in their lesson delivery.

Keta Municipal Education Director, Victor Kwaku Kovey, said play has proven an important classroom tool such that its use brings about improvement in the performance of children.

Speaking at the Teacher Recognition and Award Ceremony held recently, Mr. Kovey thanked Right To Play Ghana for giving teachers in Keta “21st Century skills” that will transform the method of teaching across the Municipality.

“I unreservedly and whole-heartedly congratulate the Right To Play for their immense contributions to education in the Keta Municipality, most importantly training our teachers in the 21st Century skills to protect, educate and empower children to rise above adversity using the power of play,” he said.

Right To Play Ghana is implementing the five-year Gender-Responsive Education And Transformation (GREAT) project in three regions and five districts across the country – Greater Accra (Ga South), Volta (Keta) and Northern (Kumbungu, Savelugu, and Tolon).

The GREAT project funded by the Global Affairs Canada (GAC) is reaching a total of 946 teachers (comprising 486 males and 460 females) and at least 34, 646 children (representing 17,323 boys and 17, 323 girls) from kindergarten through to primary six.

Under the project, teachers in implementing schools are trained in gender-responsive play-based learning methodology which would enable them to motivate and stimulate learning of their children and to support them in the development and consolidation of their skills and concepts.

In line with the project objectives, a total of 200 teachers in the Keta Municipality were honoured for their innovation and use of play-based methodology in their lesson delivery.

The ceremony was organised by the Keta Municipal Education Office in collaboration with Right To Play Ghana.

In an impassioned message, Mr Kovey recognised the contributions and commitment of Right To Play Ghana toward the continuous professional development of teachers in the district.

He encouraged other institutions to follow the example of Right To Play Ghana to make the education of Ghanaian children a joyful and life-long process.

On his part, Education Specialist of Right To Play Ghana, Kwabena Gao, emphasised the importance of play-based methodology in the delivering of Ghana's new education curriculum.

“The use of games and play-based learning are key requirements for the new standard based curriculum and they help children to be participatory learners in the teaching and learning process,” he told the gathering.

Mr. Gao was emphatic that when teachers adapt to the use of play in their classrooms, the core competencies of their children – problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork and collaboration, communication and leadership skills among others – are built in the process.

By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri