2007/08 Report from BFSC, Kpando

The school year under review has been a very important year in the history of the school since its establishment in September 2003. It was the school year during which the CEO, Mr. Forson Glover decided to open his doors of benevolence to 15 children who were very vulnerable and whose situation could be described as very precarious. To us as an institution, looking after these children by way of providing a home for them where care, love and attention which has eluded them is provided is very significant. As an institution of learning, we believed that children needed something more than food, shelter and clothing. It is for this reason that looking after these children by the school is seen as a very unique program as we go to the extra length of providing quality education for them.

One may be tempted to ask how the BFSC is able to take care of these 15 children as they receive no grants or funding from the central government. It is at this point that I would like to be allowed to hoist the evergreen flags of PAGUSA:FRICA.  It is very hard to explain how Pagus:Africa was able to locate itself at the right place helping vulnerable people at the right time – just when they needed it!

With the institution of a Sponsorship Package in the school by Ms Ellen Berenholz – the Executive Director of Pagus:Africa since 2005, the problem of sending very brilliant but needy school kids home for the nonpayment of school fees has been reduced drastically.

Some of the most significant achievements of Pagus:Africa at the BFSC currently include the following.

  1. Free scholarship for 86 children of 3 major categories including 13 children in a boarding house.
  2. The donation of an almost new school bus
  3. Donation of school supply and classroom materials
  4. Establishment of a computer laboratory
  5. Establishment of a temporal library
  6. Provision of soft loan for school projects
  7. Facilitating the education of the Headmaster in United States of America(on going)
  8. Sending of volunteers to the school (16 volunteers since Dec.07-Aug 08)
  9. The development of Business Plan for the school
  10. The development of computer software for the financial department o the school.

Since September 2007 till the close of the academic year under review, Pagus:Africa has invested close to $25,000 in the education of 86 school children excluding other material gifts to the school. The organization has also spent close to $20,000 on structural developments in the school. It must be noted that but for the active role played by Pagus, the school would not have been able to take care of the 15 (now 13) vulnerable children that were brought to stay on campus. Pagus donated tents which were used temporally to house the on campus kids. Mattresses, bedspreads and pillows with cases were also donated by Pagus.

One significant thing about Pagus is that it does not only provide the needed help to the school and the beneficiary students but also is actively involved in providing technical support and offers pieces of advice to the management of the school on the welfare of both students and staff of the school.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE:

There has been a significant improvement in the academic performance of our children. The records have proven that most of the students who were lagging behind in academic disciplines are now occupying very satisfying positions in class exercises and other assessment records. This can be attributed to the extra time spent by teachers attending to such children after normal classroom hours.

There has also been series of In-service training for teachers upon the request of the headmaster and teachers are commended for their cooperation during such training sessions which sometimes took their week ends.

Extra curricular activities were very high on the time table.  The school children benefited from two different hidden curriculum activities in the course of the academic year. These include the continuation of the “Painting Possibilities” Art Programs,- a team of 11 volunteers Art teachers under the leadership of Ms Ellen Berenholz and Mr. Timothy Hawkesworth. The second program was handled by Mr. Sam Barris and Mr. Jesse Clark, both student volunteers who introduced the students to the practicum and the theories of Music and recorded songs by the school choir for fundraising purposes and also as a means of bringing the school closer to sponsors and other people.   

 

 

CHALLENGES OF THE SCHOOL:

Notwithstanding the relentless efforts of Mr. Forson Glover to provide only the best for the needs of the school, coupled with the enormous assistance of Pagus, the school is still battling with certain pertinent issues worth mentioning. Prominent among these challenges include the following:

  1. The high fuel consumption level of the school bus coupled with the high cost of petrol which makes it rather too expensive to use as compared to a bigger bus (Mercedes Benz) that runs on diesel.
  2. The retention of teachers which has become an annual problem. As the school is not able to pay wages of professionals, it rather recruits Senior High Graduates who are awaiting their results and eager to enter higher educational institutions the next year.
  3. The issue of poor salaries also serves as another disincentive to teachers who could have given of their best as the school is not a profit making one and as it cannot charge parents to pay higher fees.
  4. The number of parents who get actively involved in school is improving, but still participation is lower than we would like.
  5. Inadequate number of classrooms for the 2008/09 academic year which is to open on September 8th, 2008.
  6. The high cost of food is not sufficiently covered by the amount paid by parents to feed the children in school.

NOTE TO SPONSORS:

We wish to express our sincerest and heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all our sponsors who have made it possible for Pagus to reach-out to our beneficiary students. Without you, the stories of these children would have been told in a very different and miserable manner.

Owing to the higher cost of living as a result of the high cost of petroleum fuel and the floods in crop producing areas as well as the frequent inflations, we have to adjust our fees a little bit to be able to at least keep the wheels of the school ongoing. It is our hope that our Valuable Sponsors would not get tired but rather cooperate with Ms Berenholz by increasing a little bit their sponsorship payments.We pray that God Himself rewards you plentifully and grant you all Peace because you have invested in the lives children. It is our hope that you would be encouraged by the performances of your sponsored children when they finally get to you.

SPECIAL APPEAL:

We wish to launch this general appeal to all our sponsors by asking them to assist Ms. Ellen Berenholz in whichever way they could to help her expand the sponsorship program. We encourage sponsors who can go the extra mile to gather the courage and take up the challenge. There is always something you can do. You may contact Ellen or the school directly and we will always inform her about your intentions.

FYI:

I also wish to inform all our sponsors that the able and indefatigable Headmaster who has been assisting me in handling the sponsorship program- Mr. Fomevor Isaac Kodzo is currently studying  in the United States thanks to Mr. Robert James Mongeluzzi and Suzanne McHugh who have generously agreed to sponsor his education through Pagus:Africa. He will be assisting Pagus in fundraising activities when it becomes practically possible.

SPECIAL THANKS:

Allow me to say a special thanks to the following people who volunteered at the school: Ms Lynn McGregor, Ms Lillian Sharpley, Ms. Teresa Atkins, Ms. Diane Zilka, Ms Denis Avayou, Ms Karen Russell, Ms. Karen Mauch, Ms. Shelby  Fantozzi, Ms. Leah Hawksworth, Ms Lala Zeitlyn,  Ms. Annie Zeybekoglu, Mr. Timothy Hawksworth, Mr. Sam Barris, Mr. Jesse Clark, Mr. Bruce T. Pappas

IN CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, I wish to be in the stead of my boss, the CEO of Bishop Forson School Complex, Mr. Forson N.K. Glover, on behalf of the entire student population, staff and parents and on my own behalf, I wish to salute the efforts of Pagus:Africa, Sponsors, Volunteers and all who have contributed in many ways t helping us have a successful academic year. May the Lord grant you Peace and bless you richly even as we all get prepared to welcome a new 2008/09 academic year.

Thank you.

Written for and on behalf of the Bishop Forson School Complex by:

J. B. K Avorgah
Administrator.    

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