Prudential Life Insurance Ghana and United Way Ghana have launched a Literacy and Mentorship Project. The event took place on October 9, 2023 at the Pig Farm Basic School in Accra. This partnership is a joint initiative by both organizations towards the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 4 – Quality Education, 5 – Gender In Equality, 10 – Reduced Inequalities and 17 – Partnerships For The Goals.
The Project aims to improve literacy levels of young learners, build their confidence and improve academic performance. The project will be implemented in Pig Farm Primary and Junior High School, (Greater Accra), Ayeduase RC Basic School, (Ashanti Region), Poasi Methodist Basic School, New Takoradi, (Western Region) and Nana Baido Bonsu Basic School, New Takoradi, (Western Region).
Under this project, 1,200 basic school children (Class 1 to 6) will be engaged and supported for one year to achieve reading proficiency and improved academic performance. Also, 1,000 basic school children (upper primary and JHS) will be engaged in personal and academic mentorship and financial literacy. Project activities have been organized to take place both within school premises and outside school settings, with facilitation provided by United Way Ghana and by the support of a dedicated team of over 90 volunteers.
The in-school literacy programs, conducted in three underserved primary schools situated in Pig Farm (Greater Accra Region), New Takoradi (Western Region), and Ayeduase (Ashanti Region), have a primary objective: to enhance the literacy levels of young learners. This initiative also strives to boost their confidence and elevate their academic performance. This engagement is made possible through a strategic partnership with the Ghana Library Authority, which will offer training to the volunteers. These trained volunteers will work closely with the learners on a weekly basis, focusing on word identification, grammar, reading, and listening skills.
The Out-of-School Literacy Project, a community engagement initiative designed to complement in-school literacy efforts, will also be implemented in Pig Farm and Ayeduase. The primary aim is to afford every child the opportunity to cultivate a love for reading by providing access to reading resources and fostering engaging learning experiences. The Out-of-School reading program will be conducted for two hours each week, catering to pupils from Basic 1 to Basic 6.
The expected outcomes of this project encompass ensuring that over 200 young learners outside school premises gain access to age-appropriate reading materials. Furthermore, the initiative aims for more than 200 young learners to achieve a proficiency level of over 80% in both reading and writing, ultimately leading to improved academic performance.
The mentorship project will focus on upper primary and junior high school (JHS) students, guiding them in the process of establishing personal development objectives and devising strategies to achieve these goals