Kpedewonu: Future for Ghana Primary School Project

We did not win the Strauss Scholarship, but this is how we tried:

DONALD A. STRAUSS SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION

PROJECT PROPOSAL

Future for Ghana Project: To set the foundations for a community center and give educational opportunities to a village in Ghana

I. Introduction

With only 6 years of education Emmanuel Aheto was had not choice but to leave his beloved village of Anyako to find miscellaneous labor work in other parts of Ghana for his family could no longer afford his public school education. After struggling financially for over two decades as a ditch digger, a porter, watch mechanic, a fisherman, and art shop keeper, Emmanuel has finally saved enough to buy a piece of land in Anyako. Emmanuel has spared his precious savings with a dream of building a private primary school to ensure the children of his village they would have more opportunities than he did in life. As a close friend who has lived with and traveled with Emmanuel for 8 months in West Africa, I believe that our close friendship will strengthen the ties between the integrity of the project and my supervision.

This school will be a non-profit private school and will provide education at its most affordable price, sponsoring as many needy children as possible. The school will also serve the community as an education center for adults. Once a week there will be an hour program for the hired teachers to teach parents about nutrition, medical insurance registration (especially with Ghana’s new free health care scheme which many do not know about), and basic numeracy and literary skills to which many villagers do not have. The school will also serve as a center for job postings and community announcements. Although the completion of the entire school will take several years and will cost more than the provisions of this scholarship, the scholarship will lay a crucial foundation for the project and encourage a momentum of support from our friends and supporters who have been anticipating the initiation of the project for quite some time.

II. Need for the Project

Although the provision for adequate education should fall under the responsibilities of Ghana’s public education system, Ghana’s public schools has suffered from overpopulation and a lack of accountability on teacher’s performance and a critical need for infrastructure development. Even though education is supposedly free in Ghana, its law is defecto dejure. Students are pressured to pay a Parents Teachers and Association fee that ranges from 30 to 100 Ghana cedis (GH¢) a trimester. Book fees cost between 20 to 50 GH¢ a year. These fees are difficult to pay for Ghanaians in Anyako for they come from a humble village where many average an income of 600 GH¢ a year as fishermen. I have visited public schools and have seen firsthand the lack of accountability between principals and their teacher’s work performance because their pay is guaranteed by the government. There is also a lack of responsibility between teachers and their students. The public school periods are extremely short, averaging between 4-5 hours while Ghanaian students are often loitering in crowded classrooms averaging 40 to 60 students. I have seen public school classrooms abandoned with nothing but an agenda on the blackboard for students to copy notes from a book or dictate from another student reading the book. I have experienced a manifestation of this system while studying abroad at the University of Ghana where students expect lecturers to repeat read notes, for this was how they were trained in the public schools. This system has made education tedious for the children, which is tragic when education should be engaging and enjoyable.

Fortunately I have also experienced hope in Ghana’s education when I visited my friend Kofi Anane’s school: Anani Memorial International School. There teachers work from 7:00am – 3:00pm, consistently providing attention and curriculum to students. Students learn about their cultural traditions such as African languages along with drumming and dancing. They also learn English and French, which are invaluable linguistic tools in West Africa. The students are also provided with an international education from visiting volunteers who come to teach. There are also international donors who supply the school with school supplies, student sponsorships, and building aid.

III. Implementation

Kofi Anane, who has known Emmanuel for over 23 years, is strongly supporting Emmanuel’s idea of starting a similar school with his land in Anyako (in the Volta Region of Ghana). Through the success of Anane’s school, I have an unshakable confidence that Emmanuel and I could model a school after Anane’s and provide education to over 200 children a year, time willing. The school will also affordably hybrid as an important community center, a nexus for basic adult education, a platform for community announcement, and job postings.

To make this project manageable to donors, I have separated the project into several phases. The first phase will lay the foundation of the school by the construction of four classrooms. See Figure 1 for Phase 1 budget details. There are many small schools in Ghana that run with just 2 rooms and 3 teachers. Depending on the success of our funding we will see if we could complete both phases 1 and 2 at the same time for the sake of cost and efficiency. However, if it is not possible, the marginal steps we to take will not be vain when compared to educational resources the community has had so far. Phase 1’s progress will be implemented once the funding is dispersed in June. The project has been estimated to complete in less than two months. During the winter of 2009, I will revisit Ghana to document the progress of the project.

Advantages and Sustainability Sources

There are several advantages when working with this project. Emmanuel has already purchased a large plot of land in full dedication for this project. Our friend Kofi Anane has established a successful international private school to which we could model after and share educational resources with. Anane’s school provides free education to 75 out of 160 of its students, while maintaining a reasonable school fee of 30 GH¢ per trimester for all the other children. We can do the same.

Emmanuel has already created a program called Art for Education where children learn to make traditional art crafts. Emmanuel takes their completed crafts and sells them to tourist from his shop in Accra. He then takes the proceeds and gives it back to the children for their education fees. He could expand the program so that more children who cannot afford school fees could raise funds by making art crafts.

Many of Emmanuel’s family members work in the construction industry. He has relatives who work as masonries, carpenters, contractors, and painters. They are willing to volunteer their time to help construct the school.

Over the years Emmanuel, who in his part-time plays and documents his traditional spiritual music, has taken countless tourist and professors from around the world to his village to share his African traditions. His global connections will give him the proper outreach for funding. Emmanuel also plans to teach the children about their traditions such as drumming and dancing so that they may perform to donors and raise additional funds.

Future Plans after Phase 1

With the scholarship, Emmanuel, Kofi and I will be able to solidify the organization. Once we have Phase 1’s buildings, we would have better standing to present the project through brochures and a website to generate more international attention on the lack of education happening in the rural villages of Ghana. Projects at this scale are not finished in a day. Anani Memorial International School was formally a home school with 1 room that served as a classroom. It took a decade before the present school was completed with its kitchen, 7 classrooms and a principal’s office. Since its inception, Anane’s school has educated over 4,000 children. With our partnership with Anani Memorial International School we can do the same.

Therefore our project in Anyako will be an ongoing, requiring a lifetime of dedication for we could always improve education. Future phases are planned to include computers, libraries, solar electricity, a kitchen, additional rooms, play ground, and piped water. See Figure 2 for Phase 2 budget details.

IV. Conclusion

I firmly believe that a strong foundation in a child’s education, especially during their primary school years, will give a child a life-long love for learning. This project was not designed as a novel charity idea, but as a plan that has proven the test of history: education is the greatest investment we can make for our people. To be realistic, the completion of the entire project will be beyond the scope of the scholarship’s $10,000 donation, but so is all truly effective aid we could give to Africa. Many times non-profit organizations want to give a small amount of money, while expecting revolutionary results in a short amount of time. Usually these projects dilapidate quickly at the absence of donors because there is no accountability and the motivation for the work burns out. Solving the problems of Africa takes a lot of time, patients and most importantly it requires coordination between the donors and the local people, for it is the local people who are lifting themselves above their problems. We give aid. I believe that through dedication Emmanuel has already set for this project and by the relationships between all our friends supporting our work, the Future for Ghana Project will create an international partnership that will last decades, ensuring the success of our dream to educate the future of Ghana

Figure 1 – Proposed Budget for Phase 1

Exchange Rate (Buying Ghana Cedis): 1USD = 1.32 GH¢

Phase 1 Cost Estimates for 120 Students: 4 classrooms (Primary Grades 1-4)

Item

Size

Quantity

Cost Per Unit

Item Price

Building Construction Material for 4 Classrooms

Paint

4 gallons

20 GH¢

80 GH¢

Cement Blocks Transported

1,500 blocks

1.5 GH¢

2,250 GH¢

Metal Roofing Sheets

8x4ft^2

280 sheets

9 GH¢

2,520 GH¢

Triangle Wood Roof Frames

4x6in^2 x length of piece

40 pieces

26 GH¢

1,040 GH¢

Straight Wood Roof Frames

4x4in^2 x length of piece

45 pieces

20 GH¢

900 GH¢

Cement Mix for the Floor

25 bags

12 GH¢

300 GH¢

Sand for the Floor

1.5 truckloads

200 GH¢

300 GH¢

Stone for the Floor

1 truckload

300 GH¢

Nails

2 boxes

25 GH¢

50 GH¢

Roofing Nails

1 box

30 GH¢

Door and Frames

4 doors

25 GH¢

100 GH¢

Window Glass (for 4 windows)

6 pieces per window

24 pieces

1 GH¢

24 GH¢

Window Inner Wood Frame

per window (4)

35 GH¢

Window Protection Bar (Rebar)

1.5m per window

6 GH¢

36 GH¢

Window Outside Frame

per window (4)

1.2 GH¢

4.8 GH¢

Workmanship for Construction

Foundation Contract

150 GH¢

2 Construction Workers

2 permanent workers

22 days

20 GH¢/day

440 GH¢

Food for Volunteer Workers

22 days

5 GH¢/day

110 GH¢

Primary Grades (1-4) Classroom Material

Classroom Desk (for 2)

15 per classroom

60 desk

25 GH¢

1500 GH¢

Blackboards

2 per classroom

8 boards

35 GH¢

280 GH¢

Teacher's Desk

4 desk

25 GH¢

100 GH¢

Teacher's Chair

4 chairs

30 GH¢

120 GH¢

Classroom Cupboards

4 cupboards

70 GH¢

280 GH¢

Total for Phase 1 (GH¢)

11100 GH¢

Total for Phase 1 (USD)

$8,409

Salaries

Teacher's Salary (Between Phase 1 and 2)

1 year for 5 teachers

60 months' pay

140 GH¢ /month

8400 GH¢

Teacher's Salary (Post Phase 2)

1 year for 8 teachers

96 months' pay

140 GH¢ /month

13440GH¢

Cooks

1 year for 2 cooks

24 months' pay

60 GH¢ /month

1440 GH¢

Figure 2 – Proposed Budget for Phase 2

Phase 2 Cost Estimates for 90 Students: Kitchen, 4 Additional Rooms (3 are Classrooms)
Item	Size	Quantity	X	Cost Per Unit	=	Item Price
Building Construction Material for 3 Classrooms and Principal's Office
Cement Blocks		1,500 blocks	X	1.5 GH¢	=	2,250 GH¢
Metal Roofing Sheets		280 sheets	X	9 GH¢	=	2,520 GH¢
Triangle Wood Roof Frames	4x6in^2 x length of piece	40 pieces	X	26 GH¢	=	1,040 GH¢
Straight Wood Roof Frames	4x4in^2 x length of piece	45 pieces	X	20 GH¢	=	900 GH¢
Cement Mix for the Floor		25 bags	X	12 GH¢	=	300 GH¢
Sand for the Floor		1.5 truckloads	X	200 GH¢	=	300 GH¢
Stone for the Floor		1 truckload	X	300 GH¢	=	300 GH¢
Nails		2 boxes	X	25 GH¢	=	50 GH¢
Roofing Nails		1 box	X	30 GH¢	=	30 GH¢
Door and Frames		4 doors	X	25 GH¢	=	100 GH¢
Window Glass (for 4 windows)	6 pieces per window	24 pieces	X	1 GH¢	=	24 GH¢
Window Inner Wood Frame		per window (4)	X	35 GH¢	=	35 GH¢
Window Protection Bar (Rebar)	1.5m per window	6m for all windows	X	6 GH¢	=	36 GH¢
Window Outside Frame		per window (4)	X	1.2 GH¢	=	4.8 GH¢
Electricity and Fans for All Buildings
Electricity Meter			X	150 GH¢	=	150 GH¢
Lamp Holders and Switches		16 sets	X	4 GH¢	=	64 GH¢
Fans		16 fans	X	50 GH¢	=	800 GH¢
Electricity Wires		8 rooms	X	60 GH¢	=	500 GH¢
Workmanship for Construction for 4 Rooms
Cement Foundation Contract					=	150 GH¢
2 Construction Workers	2 permanent workers	22 days		20 GH¢/day	=	440 GH¢
Food for Volunteer Workers	1	22 days		5 GH¢/day	=	110 GH¢
Kindergarten and Primary Grades (5 & 6) Classroom Material
Classroom Desk (for 2)	15 per classroom	30 desk	X	25 GH¢	=	750 GH¢
Blackboards	2 per classroom	4 boards	X	35 GH¢	=	140 GH¢
Teacher's Desk		4 desk	X	25 GH¢	=	100 GH¢
Teacher's Chair		4 chairs	X	30 GH¢	=	120 GH¢
Classroom/Principal Cupboard		4 cupboards	X	70 GH¢	=	280 GH¢
Chairs for the Kindergarten		40 chairs	X	12 GH¢	=	960 GH¢
Long Kindergarten Tables		10 tables	X	15 GH¢	=	150 GH¢
Kitchen
Cement Blocks Transported		200 blocks	X	1.5 GH¢	=	300 GH¢
Cement Mix for the Floor		5 bags	X	12 GH¢	=	60 GH¢
Metal Roofing Sheets	8x4ft^2	40 sheets	X	9 GH¢	=	360 GH¢
Roof Framing	4x4in^2 x length of piece	20 pieces	X	26 GH¢	=	520 GH¢
Door and Frames		1 door	X	25 GH¢	=	258 GH¢
		Total for Phase 2 Building (GH¢)			=	14102GH¢
		Total for Phase 2 Building (USD)			=	$10,683