By Yussif Ibrahim
Obuasi (Ash), April 5, GNA – As part of efforts to demystify the study of mathematics, AngloGold Obuasi Mine has organised a capacity building workshop in numeracy for 590 basic school teachers in both Obuasi East and Obuasi Municipalities.
An additional 187 teachers from the two districts were also trained in the Curriculum Core Programme, focusing on essential skills such as oral communication, summary, and translation.
The goal was to build the capacity of the teachers to shape the learners’ understanding of mathematical concepts as their knowledge in the contents, pedagogy, and beliefs have a significant impact on instructional strategies of teachers.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) recently introduced a new curriculum for basic schools in Ghana.
The curriculum, which covers learners from kindergarten through senior high school, aims to ensure that students are competent in four core areas: reading, writing, arithmetic, and creativity.
It is designed to build character, nurture values, and create clear pathways for academic and career-related programmes.
The Instructional Capacity Workshop for Teachers is, therefore, one of several series of trainings, workshops, and seminars AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine plans to implement for teachers and other stakeholders within the educational sector in Obuasi.
Ms. Mavis Nana Yaa Kyei, the Gender and Social Development Superintendent of AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, at a close-out session of the workshop, said the workshop formed part of the company’s education pillar of their 10-year Socio-Economic Development Programme (SEDP).
“When we launched this initiative, it was our vision to create a community of practice for our teachers where innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence will be the hallmark.
I am happy to announce this vision is progressively becoming a reality, and I can’t wait to see the outcome of our effort soon, “she noted.
Ms. Kyei added that improving the classroom teachers’ capacity, knowledge, and skills to facilitate reading for pleasure, comprehension, language development, and effective communication was vital in enhancing the reading capacity of learners.
According to her, the need to bolster interest in learning mathematics based on concrete examples and demonstrations has become crucial in promoting STEM education.
Introduced in 2023, the Instructional Capacity Building Workshop for teachers forms a key part of the array of educational interventions lined up by AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine to improve educational outcomes in its host communities.
Mr. George Alfred Koomson, the Obuasi Municipal Director of Education said educational outcomes in the Municipality had improved significantly due to the numerous interventions by AngloGold Ashanti
He said the results for the National Standardised Test in 2022 revealed that only 38 per cent of learners in basic four who took part in the exams nationwide could read and comprehend.
This, he said, signified that a staggering 62 per cent could not read nor comprehend what they read.
Mr. Kwabena Owusu Nketia, the Obuasi East Municipal Director of Education, also commended AngloGold Ashanti for supporting education in Obuasi, adding that, their interventions had resulted in increase in enrolment in public schools and built the interest of children in education generally.
GNA
YI/KOA