Akuapem Hills Educational Trust Fund (AHPSETFund)

Akuapem Hills Educational Trust Fund [AHPSETFund] Akropong-Akuapem, Eastern Region, Ghana

AHPSETFund was registered as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in March 2015 by the Department of Social Welfare, Ghana with registration number DSW/6264 to render a selfless social educational service to humanity within Akuapem North Municipality, Eastern Region of Ghana.

The sole beneficiary of the AHPSETFund is Akuapem Hills Preparatory School (AHPS) popularly known as the Royals within the Akuapem area. AHPSETFund also supports some local small-scale business start-ups such as piggery and dress-making.

The Aims and Objectives of AHPSETFund are to provide:

• Major educational needs of Akuapem Hills Preparatory School (3 to 15-year olds) within Akropong-Akuapem and the surrounding townships – these include permanent classroom buildings, library, science laboratory, computer laboratory, school buses, classroom furniture, teaching and learning materials especially computers, science and sports equipment and books.

• On-the-job training and certification of untrained teacher employees of AHPS.

• Scholarships for the education and support of pupils with special educational needs and those from disadvantaged backgrounds attending AHPS.

• Literacy, numeracy, and ICT training and supporting start-up businesses for school dropouts in and around Akropong-Akuapem township.

VISION

Our vision is for a safe-inclusive and nurturing environment of outstanding education, with high expectations of teaching and learning for all through a growth mindset and positive discipline; creating motivated, successful, and responsible citizens to meet the diverse-cultural and technological developments of the present and future world.

MISSION

Our mission is to provide a high-quality education in accordance with Christian ethos and outlook; and to provide a happy, secure, caring, and stimulating environment for both pupils and teachers as part of a wider community. To develop the love of teaching and learning; the aptitude to ask and answer questions collaboratively with confidence and the skills necessary to satisfy our desire for knowledge; striving together for excellence in all pursuits. We aim to help develop responsible, all-inclusive, and co-operating individuals who have the zeal and determination to continue learning throughout their lives.

YEAR IN REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS:

The AHPSETFund as usual continued to support the funding of some selected students’ fees for the 2022/2023 academic year, and continue to waive half the fees payment of all AHPS teaching’ and non-teaching staff’s children attending AHPS.

Implementation of Positive Discipline at AHPS

We intend to develop AHPS as a “Centre of Excellence” where modern strategies of education such as positive psychology, caring teacherhood, pedagogical love, and others are practiced and demonstrated so that, other schools and teachers could come and learn.

AHPS as the main recipient of AHPSETFund, continues to experience the implementation of my Ph.D. research study with the University of Lapland, Finland on the title: “Exploring the Efficacy of Positive Psychology and Caring Teacherhood in Eradicating Corporal Punishment in Ghanaian Schools: A Mixed-Methods Study”.

I introduced Positive Discipline (PD) to parents and guardians during a PTA meeting in September 2021. From September 2022 I had a series of staff workshops while I was in Ghana, followed by a monthly Zoom seminar on mainly Positive Discipline every first Friday of the month to date. On the 10^th of January 2023 – each class of the school started the Class meetings as the most important component of the Positive Discipline program of AHPS at both North and South Campuses, Akropong and Larteh respectively.

What are students learning during class meetings?

• Social-emotional skills such as respect for self and others, • Listening to each other,

• Brainstorming together as they focus on solutions, critical thinking, accountability, resilience, empathy, confidence, (by practicing that mistakes are opportunities to learn), and • All the other characteristics and life skills needed for successful living. (Nelsen, 2011)

These skills will boost and enable academic work and skills to thrive! We are already seeing good signs!

THE CONSTRUCTION OF A DUAL TENNIS COURT AT AHPS SOUTH CAMPUS, LARTEH

The main construction for AHPS this July-September 2023 was a dual tennis court at the South Campus. This construction was very necessary to enable a flat sizable area for graduations and other major activities involving pupils, students, parents, guardians, teachers, and guests.

PRE-GRADUATION ACTIVITIES 4^TH TO 8^TH SEPTEMBER 2023

We celebrate all talents in building confidence and assertiveness in our pupils/students. Our Pre-Graduation activities consisted of; 1. Games and Quizzes / What do you know? 2. Film shows 3. Catwalk (General knowledge) 4. Choreography 5. Traditional dances (costume) 6. Recitals (costume) 7. Drama (costume) 8. Talento Real; songs, comedy, dance, playing of instruments.

SHORT TERM

In the short term, the AHPSETFund will continue to extend scholarships for the education and support of pupils with special educational needs and those from disadvantaged backgrounds within the school.

We are in the process of linking with a school UK under the British Council’s Connecting Classroom scheme to engage pupils, students, and teachers in exchange programmes – sharing pedagogical knowledge and skills.

We have to complete the construction of our dual tennis court and AstroTurf football field with running tracks.

MEDIUM TO LONG TERM:

In 2015, we laid the foundations for the major construction of a three-story block consisting of seven classrooms, a double-size library, a science lab, a computer suite, a staff-common room, an office, toilets, and changing rooms. Next year we hope to build the ground floor.

The AHPSETFund will build and equip the facilities mentioned above to make teaching and learning meaningful for pupils, students, and teachers. These facilities could enable us to play our role as a ‘centre of excellence’ which would be used by other schools within the townships of Akuapem-North and beyond.

The AHPSETFund has plans to build a modern library facility. This facility will be stocked with books and electronic learning materials appropriate for students of all ages as well as computers with internet access as well as training for teachers.

Funds will be sourced from the Ghana Education Services, the foreign embassies, philanthropists, NGOs, and other organizations who have an interest in supporting educational projects such as MTN Ghana, JICA, etc.

As a teacher of Mathematics in the UK and a researcher with the University of Lapland, Finland, the CEO, founder, and proprietor, Nii Yaoboi continues to undertake research studies in exploring the efficacy of positive psychology and caring teacherhood in eradicating corporal punishment in Ghanaian schools. A mixed-methods study with data collection from trainee teachers of Eastern and Greater Accra Regions, and that of teachers of Akuapem North, Sekondi-Takoradi, and Fanteakwa North (Begoro) districts have been completed for onward analysis back in the UK and Finland.

Ghana:

Akuapem Hills Educational Trust Fund, P. O. Box 463, Akropong-Akuapem, Eastern Region, Ghana.

Mobile: 00233 244652281 or 00233 244804135 E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected]

UK:

Akuapem Hills Educational Trust Fund, 8 Glebelands, Chudleigh, Newton Abbot, South Devon,

TQ13 0GB Phone: 00 44 1626 859069 Mobile: 00 44 7745 873689 E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected]

CEO: Emmanuel Victor Nii Tackie-Yaoboi, BSc (Hons) QTS, MSc, PGDipEd.