The Twi proverb “Obi nnim a obi kyere”
(What one
does not know, another can teach) is one of the
first
colorful posters I noticed when visiting the Teacher
Resource Center (TRC) at the St. Joseph Training
College in Bechem*. Games and posterboards line
the
walls depicting lessons in various school subject
areas from health and safety, to science and
grammar, and of course cocoa and
agriculture.
I traveled with Mr. Kwesi Dzidzienyo,
International Foundation for Education and Self-Help
Ghana Country Representative, to meet Principal
Mensah and the TRC Teacher Coordinator. The
TRC offers workshops and resources for pre- and in-
service teachers in the surrounding area to learn how
to develop creative and interactive teaching
materials for use in their lesson plans.
Although the IFESH Volunteer, Mrs. Pauline Landrigan,
who worked with the Training College officials to
establish the TRC during the 2005-2006
school year, completed her assignment, the
principal, teachers, and students energetically
continue the activities and trainings.
Local graduate, Mr. Clement Mensah, (pictured
above)
is the center assistant volunteer. Clement manages
the daily administrative duties at the TRC, which in
addition to the teacher training workshops, offers
photocopying and typing services for the students
and teachers in the community so that their
operational costs can be self-sustaining.
I would like to thank Principal Mensah and his team
for their gracious hospitality, as well
as my colleague Kwesi Dzidzienyo for arranging my
visit. I leave you with the quote found on a
second poster so prominently displayed in the center -
“Think cocoa when creating your teaching learning
material...use what is available locally!”
Best wishes from Ghana, Tracey
*Bechem is one of three towns in the Kumasi cocoa
growing area of Ghana where a TRC has been
developed in partnership with IFESH through funding
from the World Cocoa Foundation and member The
Hershey Company.
In addition to the IFESH education program,
the World Cocoa Foundation sponsors farmer
training, tree diversification, and video viewing clubs
in Ghana. The Video Viewing Clubs are sponsored by
WCF Members, Sunspire, Nestle, and the Chocolate
Manufacturers Association.