Bright Star Vision Ghana commissions Kindergarten Block for Dalive-Torzikpota

The Bright Star Vision Ghana, a United States based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) has constructed a modern 3-unit Kindergarten classroom block for the Dalive-Torzikpota community in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region, Ghana.

The Kindergarten classroom block constructed has ancillary facilities such as washrooms, offices, stores and welled ventilated classrooms for kindergarten (KG) learners/pupils of the Dalive-Torzikpota Basic School.

The project was commissioned at a ceremony held on Tuesday, 14th December, 2021 by the education-focused and social driven non-profit organization, Bright Star Vision Ghana.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Director of Bright Star Vision Ghana Ms. Marla Ludwig-Abodakpi (Dada Abla) explained that, the Kindergarten classroom block was constructed to help address infrastructural challenges facing the school and the community, as a way of addressing problems facing education in the area so as to promote effective teaching and learning in the school.

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Ms. Marla Ludwig-Abodakpi noted that, she received a proposal for the construction of Kindergarten classroom block for Dalive-Torzikpota community since 2005. It is her vision to extend the school to Junior High School (JHS) and also award learners/pupils who will attend the school with scholarships for higher education.

She has handed over the project to the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Community and hope that, the facility will address the stress school children go through by walking from Dalive-Torzikpota to Larve, Nutekpor, Agordome and its environs to attend school.

The Director of Bright Star Vision Ghana further said, since the commencement of the project in 2005, she left for United State of America, came back to Ghana in 2011 where she met Mr. Charles Sewornu Abodakpi-Ludwig. He then took over the project as the supervisor until its successful completion.

She praised Charles Sewornu Abodakpi-Ludwig for his support as the supervisor of the project till its completion though, they were faced with some financial challenges and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Narrating the genesis of the project, Dr. Prince Nelson Mortoti of Piwak Natural Health said, in 2005, he met Mr. John Homadi Glidden of the blessed memory, the founder of YCC Ghana who introduced him to his organization.

He disclosed that, as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), which is non profit making, they mostly depend and get support from their international donors through Marla Louise Ludwig of Bright Star Vision Ghana.

Dr. Prince Nelson Mortoti added that, as an organization, they needed a proposal at the time for projects across the Volta Region, Ghana. In view of this, he came home to meet his father Logodzovor Abraham and his brother, the Moderator of Ghana Mennonite Church, who briefed him on the challenges facing Dalive-Torzikpota Wortokor community.

Among the challenges were water crises and poor education especially lack of Kindergarten for school children. Having listened to the challenges, he, together with some individuals worked on the project for the community between 2005 – 2007 which witnessed sod cutting ceremony.

He explained that, through the benevolence of Ms. Marla Ludwig-Abodakpi and Mr. Charles Sewornu Abodakpi-Ludwig, the project was completed successfully for use.

The District Director of Education, Evelyn Araba Zentey (Ms.) who received the newly constructed Kindergarten block on behalf of the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Ministry of Education (MoE) expressed gratitude to the donors especially Ms. Marla Ludwig-Abodakpi and Mr. Charles Sewornu Abodakpi-Ludwig.

The Director is appreciative to Bright Star Vision Ghana for accepting to reassigned the project to be constructed as kindergarten block though, there were suggestions from the community to convert it to Junior High School.

Explaining the need for the project, the District Director said, initially, kindergarten was not part of the main stream educational systems.

According to her, Ghana Education Service and Ministry of Education, as a means of improving academic performances came to the conviction that, nursery and kindergarten are the foundation for Ghana’s Educational System, hence, there is a need to strengthen the foundation and must be more serious in handling the kindergarten for the success of Ghana’s long term education.

Ms. Zentey again said, GES is organizing training workshops to equip Kindergarten teachers/facilitators for effective teaching and learning delivery to meet the current status quo of the education policy.

“GES is laying more emphasis on the Kindergarten education because, the environment in which the learners learn is very key in the development of education. The development of learning skills, reading skills, drawing skills, social skills among others to make the foundation of education strong, begin at the kindergarten level. That’s why there is a need for the kindergarten classroom block at the Dalive-Torzikpota community”

According to her, the kindergarten pupils deserve a more resourceful and learning friendly environment in order to prepare the children for higher classes.

She therefore appealed to the community, citizens, philanthropists etc to assist provide furniture and educational resources for the school because the government cannot do all, hence there is a need for all hands on deck to promote education across board

On behalf of the Directorate, she also appealed to the community, citizens, students, staff and management of the school to take good care of the facility to serve the  purposes of its construction.

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The Representative of Hon. Wisdom Kobena Mensah Woyome, the Member of Parliament for South Tongu Constituency Mr. Michael Gati said, the MP requested to meet the management of the school through the South Tongu Education Directorate to plan for the development of the school. He is much grateful to Bright Star Vision Ghana for the project.

Meanwhile, the South Tongu District Chief Executive (DCE) Honourable Seth Kwasi Agbi was much excited and thankful to Bright Star Vision Ghana for the Kindergarten block at Dalive-Torzikpota.

He expressed his profound gratitude to all stakeholders through whose effort this project has come to fruition. He, on behalf of the South Tongu District Assembly appreciates the effort of GES for the unrelenting steps towards education at all levels.

According to Honourable Seth Kwasi Agbi, education is the bedrock and a vital tool in the life of every nation and individual across the world.

The DCE added that, there are numerous challenges confronting the country when it comes to education. He explained that, inadequate classroom block, furniture, and lack of teaching and learning resources are not helping teachers to discharge their best in line of their duties.

Hon. Agbi strongly believe the new Block constructed by Bright Star Vision Ghana will even serve as a means of motivation for other parents to quickly enroll their children for education.”

The Dalive-Torzikpota Basic School, as of the time of commissioning the Kindergarten classroom block has a total population of one hundred and forty (140) students/pupils with seventy-eight (78) girls and seventy-two (72) boys. The school also has a total of six (6) teachers.

ABOUT BRIGHT STAR VISION GHANA

Bright Star Vision is a secular grassroots organization whose mission is: To empower youth by providing educational programs; to raise global awareness; to promote peace and mutual respect by ‘being the change’ and realizing dreams – one village at a time. Projects include Bright Star Kindergarten, Mini Libraries, Scholarships, Mobility, Apprenticeships,
Cross Cultural Exchanges.

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SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh