Adarkwa (E/R), May 26, GNA – Nestlé Ghana Limited, in collaboration with ECOM Ghana Limited, a cocoa buying company, has handed over a six-unit classroom block to the authorities of Adarkwa Methodist Primary School in the Suhum Municipality of the Eastern Region.
The facility, which includes office space, a storeroom, toilet facilities, and access to portable drinking water, is expected to improve teaching and learning in the cocoa-growing community.
The project was undertaken to replace the school’s old dilapidated structure, which had served the community for about 90 years and had become unfit for academic work.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Nana Obiri Agyei, who chaired the programme, expressed gratitude to Nestlé Ghana and ECOM Ghana for the intervention.
He said the poor condition of the former classroom block had compelled many parents to withdraw their children from the school and enrol them elsewhere.
“With this modern classroom block, we are appealing to parents who transferred their children to other schools to bring them back because the school now has a conducive environment for effective teaching and learning,” he said.
Nana Agyei commended the teachers for their dedication to duty and urged parents to continue supporting their children’s education by providing their educational needs.
He appealed to the community to maintain the facility to prolong its lifespan for future generations to benefit from.
Mr Sudhir Kumar, the Country Head of ECOM Ghana, described the project as an important investment in rural prosperity and education.
He said the previous state of the school discouraged effective learning and forced some children to travel between five and six kilometres to attend schools in nearby communities.
Inadequate access to proper educational facilities also increased the risk of child labour in cocoa-growing communities, he noted.
“Prosperity cannot happen without education. When we invest in education, we are directly investing in the future of Ghana,” he said.
Mr Kumar noted that beyond constructing the classroom block, the project also provided clean drinking water, toilet facilities, and teaching and learning materials to create a safe and supportive environment for the pupils.
He commended Nestlé Ghana, the Ghana Education Service, teachers, and community leaders for their support towards the successful completion of the project.
Madam Salome Azevedo, Managing Director of Nestlé Ghana Limited, said the facility would inspire hope and create greater opportunities for children in the Adarkwa community.
She said classrooms should provide a clean, safe, organised, and comfortable environment that supported effective teaching and learning.
“In a good classroom, students feel respected, confident, and ready to learn. It is a place where dreams are nurtured and young minds are shaped,” she said.
Madam Azevedo said the company had already handed over four schools in the Ashanti Region in 2025 and was commissioning two additional schools at Adarkwa and Akroma in the Central Region.
She added that three more school projects, currently under construction, were expected to be completed before the end of the year.
She urged the pupils to take their studies seriously and respect their teachers and elders, while encouraging the community to protect the facility for generations yet unborn.
Mr Emmanuel Padi, Headteacher of Adarkwa Methodist KG and Primary School, described the project as a dream come true for the community.
The former school structure, he said, had negatively affected academic work for decades.
“Whenever it rained, lessons had to be suspended, and during hot weather, the classrooms became extremely uncomfortable for both teachers and learners,” he said.
Mr Padi added that the poor condition of the school had affected enrolment and attendance, as some parents preferred sending their children to schools in nearby towns, including Suhum.
He expressed optimism that the new infrastructure would improve enrolment, academic performance, and the overall welfare of teachers and pupils.
The Headteacher, however, appealed for additional support in the areas of a computer laboratory, teachers’ bungalow, school canteen, library, and sports facilities.
Madam Joyce Ashitey, representative of the Suhum Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service, commended Nestlé and ECOM Ghana for their commitment to educational development in the municipality.
She said inadequate classroom infrastructure remained one of the major challenges affecting education delivery in the municipality and expressed confidence that the new facility would improve learning outcomes in the Adarkwa Community.
Madam Ashitey urged both teachers and pupils to maintain the facility properly to prolong its lifespan and preserve its current state for many years.
GNA
Edited Agnes Boye-Doe
Writer: Albert Oppong-Ansah
Email: [email protected]