By: Gogu Edwin/+233555588660
On October 2, 2024, St. Theresa Parish, Canteen – Damongo, generously donated textbooks valued over One hundred thousand Ghana cedis (GHS )100,000.00) to St. Anne’s and St. Theresa Basic Schools in Damongo. This contribution, made possible through the support of their German partners from St. Georg Parish Saerbeck, was officially presented by the Vicar General of the Damongo Catholic Diocese and Parish Priest of St. Theresa Catholic Church, Very Rev. Martin Muosayir, during a ceremony at St. Anne Basic School.
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Very Rev. Muosayir, while addressing students and staff, highlighted the significance of this donation in addressing the pressing lack of textbooks, a challenge that has hampered academic performance in the region in particular. The books cover various subjects, including English, Mathematics, Science, and Creative Arts, for all classes from Kindergarten to Junior High School. In total, the donation comprised over 1,300 textbooks.
Very Rev. Muosayir noted, “The lack of textbooks has hindered the progress of education not only at St. Anne School but across the schools in northern Ghana which from the BECE results have seriously retrogressed in learning. We hope this gesture will help reverse the trend of declining academic performance and prepare students for success in life.” He challenged students to utilize the books effectively and expressed his desire to see St. Anne School regain its lost glory as a leading school in academic excellence in the not too distant past. In recent times its performances in academic competitions like the Brain Battle Quiz has rather been abysmal.
In his remarks, Mr. Akobga George Ayariga, Basic Schools Coordinator for Damongo Municipality, echoed the Vicar General’s sentiments. He stressed the importance of making the books ‘friends’ rather than leaving them idle. Mr. Ayariga encouraged students to aim for excellence in their studies, recognizing the role of education in building a prosperous future.
Additionally, Mr. Haruna Musah, Chairman of the Parents Association (PA), expressed his gratitude to the donors and the school administration. He called for further support to address other infrastructure and resource needs at the school.
A student representative, Sackey Salomey, also shared her joy in receiving the learning materials, pledging on behalf of her colleagues that they would make the best use of the textbooks to improve their academic performance.
This donation marks another successful collaboration between St. Theresa Parish and St. Georg Parish in Saerbeck, Germany, aimed at supporting the educational development of young people in Damongo and surrounding areas.
