An ultra-modern sustainable Kindergarten block to replace an old dilapidated one at Punpunie in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region has been commissioned by Tullow Ghana, as part of its socio-economic development strategy. The two-classroom block facility which was constructed by Sabre Educational Trust, using sustainable materials, has a canteen, a playground, restrooms and washrooms for the children.
The construction and commissioning of the facility forms part of Tullow Ghana’s sustainable kindergarten project which has so far seen a total of ten facilities built across the seven Coastal Districts of the western region.
Teachers for the facility have as well received training to build educational capacity by promoting skills development in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) at the basic level. They are therefore to impart the knowledge to the over 400 beneficiary children over the next five years.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony at Pumpunie, Corporate Affairs Director of Tullow Ghana, Cynthia Lumor, indicated that the company has made significant investments towards education in Ghana.
“From Kindergarten through basic, secondary to tertiary level, notable among them is the setting up of similar kindergarten facilities in all seven coastal districts that are counted as our impact areas. In addition to that, we have refurbished a number of science laboratories for selected Senior High Schools across Ghana. This kindergarten facility was designed and constructed with sustainable materials. We have made sure that the teachers have received training in the Montessori system of teaching and learning, and we are confident that the combination of the facility, the trained teachers, and the enthusiasm of the children will create that foundation needed for a good education,” she noted.
Punpunie is a fishing community of about 1,600 population, with the only school in the community being the Punpunie M/A Primary school. The school has an enrollment of about 200 pupils; sixty out of this number are in the Kindergarten. Part of the old building occupied by students including those in Kindergarten recently collapsed during a heavy rainfall, leaving pupils exposed to danger. Tullow Ghana and Sabre Education trust intervened and constructed the Kindergarten sustainable structure to enable serene teaching and learning.
Municipal Chief Executive of the Ahanta West, Mrs. Henrietta Eyison was appreciative of the gesture and promised the municipality will ensure that the facility is maintained.
” I can see the building is well structured with a very strong foundation and has been beautifully painted, and well-polished walls to stand the weather. We are grateful to Tullow for this intervention. We are going to take good care of this to enable other entities come to our aid,” MCE, Henrietta Eyison indicated