SODEP trains 100 people in English, Maths

Published in the Daily Graphic on 24/05/2010, pg 11

Story: Matilda Attram
SOCIAL Development in Education Project (SODEP),a project aimed at improving the lot of rural schools and teachers, has trained 100 resource persons in some critical subject areas of basic schools.
The resource persons, who were trained in English Language, Mathematics, Science, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Citizenship Education and Early Child Development, would in turn train teachers.
Dubbed ‘SODEP-Nkabom,' the project is a collaborative effort between the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Canadian Teachers Federation (CTF).
The project, which is also to upgrade education and development in deprived communities, has increased interest in education and it aids in the mobilisation of other forms of development that enhance the living standards of community members.
The project, which started in 2002, has helped to sharpen the content knowledge and teaching skills of teachers and has made members of such communities become responsive to their needs.
As part of the mechanisms to sustain the project, a one-day forum has been held in Accra to bring together participating organisations such as the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service, District, Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies, Traditional Authorities, Parent-Teacher Associations among other organisations in education delivery to share their ideas and experiences in the performance of their duties.
In his welcoming address, the Deputy-General Secretary of GNAT, Mr John Nyoagbe, indicated that the project came in two sections, one of which used innovative approach to assist teachers who were posted to deprived schools to adapt to the circumstances and challenges posed by their schools and environment.
He said the approach recognised the significant and collaborative role of all and worked with 30 schools and communities in five regions to assist them to identify their development challenges, as well as prioritise them.
"The project has worked in communities in the Greater Accra , Ashanti, Brong Ahafo , Volta and the Northern regions where these resource persons also train classroom teachers in order to raise their teaching and leadership capabilities," he stated.
Mr Nyoagbe mentioned the lack of trained teachers, full education facilities, and the high level of ignorance in some communities as major challenges of the project and added "We are trying to find measures to combat our challenges and hope to move to the rest of the regions".
In a presentation, a representative of CTF, Mr Durris Dezanney, expressed satisfaction with some communities for their efforts in improving themselves, saying "This has attracted the interest of other development non-governmental organisation (NGOs)”.