Nana Kobina Boabeng I, the Nifahen of Gomoa Adzentem, has expressed appreciation to MTN Ghana Foundation for constructing a three-classroom block with ancillary facilities for the community.
He commended the MTN Foundation on behalf of the Chief of Adzintem, when a team from the Foundation, led by Mr Ebenezer Terkpeh, the Education Portfolio Adviser, inspected the school block it constructed for Gomoa East District Assembly (D/A) Basic School at Adzentem two years ago.
The block was built in response to an appeal made by the local authorities, Gomoa East District Education Directorate, and other stakeholders to the Foundation.
The Foundation invested GHc394,379.27 to construct the new block, which had an office, storeroom, furniture and washroom for the pupils.
The Foundation, the Cooperate Social Responsibility arm of MTN, had for the past 12 years, invested in building school blocks, libraries and Information and Communication Technology Centres, equipping health facilities, and supporting entrepreneurship across the country.
Nana Boabeng, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said before the construction of the new block, parents refused to enrol their children in the kindergarten because of the bad nature of the old structure.
He said the Chief and his elders had instituted a fund, which members of the community contributed into for developmental projects, including the maintenance of the school, to prolong its life span.
Mr Joshua Kwame Quainoo, the Researcher, Data and Statistics Officer of the Gomoa East District Education Directorate, commended the investment by MTN into the education sector.
“I hope such support will complement efforts by the Government, the District Assembly and the Ghana Education Service, to ensure that the children who are the future of the country receive quality education to be self-sufficient in the society”, he said.
He assured the Foundation of the District Education Directorate’s commitment to ensuring the facility was renovated periodically to enhance teaching and learning.
He appealed to other Non-Governmental Organisations to emulate the examples of MTN to provide quality education for the children in a conducive environment.
Mr Terkpeh, on his part, said the visit appraise the Foundation on the condition of projects invested in at the community.
One of the critical aspects of their work was to ensure the sustainability of the projects, hence the monitoring to ensure that facilities handed over were used for the intended purposes and were well maintained, he said.
He commended the school management for taking good care of the facility, adding that it would encourage them to go to the community’s aid when the need arose.
Mr Ocran S. Ghansah, the Assistant Headmaster of Adzentem D/A Basic School, said the initial enrolment at the kindergarten was 15 but the number had increased to 87.
He commended the MTN Foundation for the support and expressed the hope that it would continue to extend a helping hand.