Our schools

The importance of education is indisputable. However, while worldwide school attendance figures are improving, according to data on progress towards the UN Millennium Goals, 41 million primary school age children are out of school in sub-Saharan Africa – the greatest proportion being in West/ Central African countries.

A lack of solid school structures can only compound this issue.  It is estimated that it will take authorities up to 25 years to build adequate classrooms throughout Ghana.

Yaarah Schools is actively speeding up this process.

The sites for Yaarah Schools’ buildings are identified in partnership with local villages and local government who prioritise areas where there is the greatest need. Following completion of the school we stay in regular contact with the village, keeping up to date with how the building is used. , We also provide funding for any required building repairs.

Have two images side by side which link into new pages for each of the upcoming sections

ADAKLU AZIEDUKOPE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Adaklu Aziedukope Primary School is our first school in the Volta region of Ghana. It was completed in 2011 and has five classrooms to accommodate 200 children who were previously taught under trees where their education was dependent on weather conditions.

The success of Adaklu Aziedukope goes beyond enabling the education of 200 pupils.  The benefits of the school to the community include:

  • Increased school attendance, punctuality and the number of children enrolling for classes
  • Greater community involvement in improving the educational opportunities for their children
  • The school is at the center of the community and also offers adult education services including classes specifically for women.

“…Yaarah Schools has brought a whole new life to the community…”

– Bright Badasu, Head teacher, Adaklu Aziedukope Primary School

This is an incredible achievement given that Yaarah Schools is run entirely by volunteers.

Since completing the school, we have been approached by village elders in three separate areas to carry out similar work.

ZOOLYANILLI SCHOOL

Tali Zoolyanilli is the site of our second school building project. No primary school building exists in the village and classes for the 160 children take place outside.

This village has a population of around 900 and is about 10km from the nearest town. It is deeply poverty stricken, with villagers relying on a weekly market and farming for income.

Yaarah Schools is making good progress building a school in the land behind the site currently used for teaching. The village chief, elders and villagers provide whatever help and support we need.

Each neighbourhood in the village provide volunteers on a rota basis to help with the building project.  They are split into three teams: one working on completing the first building (consisting of three classrooms); a second digging the foundations for the second building; and a third making breeze blocks from sand and cement.

Villagers are learning important skills from the builders on site which they can put to use when the builders have gone.  Two young people from the village have been taken on as apprentices with our building contractors following their work on the building project.

The finished school will consist of three blocks of three classrooms together with a staff room and toilet block.