Michael Boadi Nkansah

By Julius K. Satsi, GNA

Accra, Sept. 3, GNA – The Neogenics Education Group, an independent educational consultancy and service providers, has held its third awards ceremony to honour key sector players.

The Education Community (EDUCOM) Awards sought to recognise the contributions of educational related work undertaken within communities by individual and institutions across the country.

The EDUCOM Awards recognised 12 individuals and institutions, including authors, teachers, head teachers, parents, schools, and non-governmental organisations among others whose contribution to the sector has made an impact.

The awards recognised Mr Stephen Senyo Tettehgah of ‘Teach for Ghana’ in Accra as the Inspirational Teacher of the Year, who upon realising the challenge of reading in his community, created the ‘Reader and Leaders’ project to inspire young people to cultivate the habit of reading in the Northern Region.

Mr Daniel Afavi Dotse, a teacher at Peak Lyceum at Tema, was adjudged the Creative Digital Teacher of the Year for using technology creatively in his class by challenging pupils to design their own power-point slides making use of different features.

The International Community Montessori was recognised as the Most Improved School of the Year while Mercy Fosuaa Biney, the Headmistress of Victoria Presbyterian School in Accra, was awarded the Education and School Leader of the Year.

The Institute of Paralegal Training and Leadership (IPLS) was honoured as the School Contributing to Local Community and Edify Ghana was adjudged the Educational, Non-Governmental Organisation of the Year.

‘Asanka’, a software with preloaded educational content to allow teachers to teach more dynamic and interactive classes was adjudged the Outstanding Technology in Education while Mr Eric Vondee, the Founder of ‘My Home Teacher’ was awarded the Student Entrepreneur of the Year.

Mr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, who provides guidance and counselling occasionally to staff, pupils and the community was recognised as the Supportive Parent of the Year.

Mr John Oscar Klutse, a student of the Akropong School for the Blind, who defied all odds to be the best student in his class was awarded the Outstanding Student of the Year.

The Education Media Network, a parent company of EducationGhana.net – an online education resources and news website was given the Media Contributing to Education award for educating the masses on teacher licensing and double track system among others.

The book titled ‘The Art of Authorship’ and authored by Gamel Sankari was awarded the Educational Book of the Year.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Grant Bulmuo, the Chief Executive Officer of the Neogenics Education Group, said the awards nominations were opened in February and closed in June.

He said it was then publicised through various media networks online and partner media houses to allow individuals and institutions in the sector to be nominated into any of the 20 available categories.

He said the process was duly followed by matching the statements of the nominees against the laid down criteria and shortlisted nominees were asked to provide evidences.

Mr Bulmuo said the finalists were then handed over to judges to determine their fate.

He said the awards was expected to boost the morale of winners and others towards contributing more effectively to educating and preparing the younger generation for the future.

Mr Bulmuo commended government for the introduction of the new curriculum saying: “at long last our outdated and breathless curriculum has been replaced with a more modern and international standard version with the potential to equip the Ghanaian child with 21st century skills.”

He said it is time for government to be robust and tough with a new regime of sector leadership that would be fearless, selfless and possesses a will that bites deeper than the current regime.

Commonwealth Correspondent Kenneth Gyamerah, 26, is the proud winner of Ghana’s 2017 Leadership in Education Award, given by the Education Community Awards in Ghana to recognise educators and young leaders striving to improve the country’s education sector in Ghana. Kenneth describes the origins and inspiring results of his commitment to ensuring education and mentorship for Ghana’s most vulnerable students. 

I had my basic education in a rural, low income community in Ghana. This is the source of my passion to ensure that children in rural communities have access to quality education and experiential learning.  Looking at my background, I didn’t need to look very far for inspiration, because I experienced it growing up.

Through varied encounters from time to time, I became inspired to give more. Taking a cursory look at my background and how I was able to overcome the hurdles I met provided an inspiration – that every rural child can get quality education if supported. I have grown to realise education is one thing that cannot be taken away once gained or acquired. It is the key to solving most problems we face in Africa.

I took a teaching position with the Ghana Education Service in September 2016 in Volo Community Day Senior High School. Volo is a rural low-income fishing community in the countryside. Amidst all the challenges in the community, ranging from poverty and teenage pregnancy to poor road networks and inadequate infrastructure, I accepted the posting.

In my work as a teacher, I don’t only transfer knowledge to students. Instead, I have integrated Education For Sustainable Development into my work.

Together with a community based organisation and Google Ghana, we have been able to train 143 of these rural children on digital skills. I have inspired and ensured 40 young teen mothers stay in school. I have impacted the lives of more than 2000 young people.

Currently, I have a mentorship base of about 50 young people. My numerous  campaigns on rural education have been featured on most of the national media platforms.

Young people in the rural communities need empowerment to become useful to society. During the International Day of the African Child, my campaign on ensuring equitable access to education was published by A World At School. I  am always moved by the conviction that it took a long time for me to find a voice – and now that I have it I will use it to champion a worthy cause, knowing that one day somebody would say that because of me, they didn’t give up.

In November 2016, I was selected to participate in the President Obama’s Young African Leaders West Africa Regional Leadership programme.

That programme brought together 118 young West Africans drawn from an application pool of 12,000 people. During the program, I  learned civic leadership, acquired advocacy skills and used my story to inspire participants. At the end of the program, I was awarded the Special Prize in Presentation Skills which birthed another passion – writing.

As a young writer, I share with the Ghana Education Service and with policy makers the need to restructure the school curricula to suit the needs of young people. One of my write-ups on education was picked by Ghana’s best-selling paper, “The Daily Graphic”, in November 2016.

In 2017, through my work on education, I was awarded a Distinction of Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society. In this same year, I was awarded as Global Youth Ambassador for A World At School, a global network of 500 young advocates championing equal educational opportunities in 80 countries.

And one of the best moments came when I won the 2017 Leadership in Education at the Education Community Awards on 19th August 2017.

The ceremony  was attended by  the Deputy Minister of Education, policy makers, professors and think tanks in education in Ghana.

The purpose of the Education Community Awards (EDUCOM AWARDS) is to recognise all the valuable educational-related work that is undertaken within schools and our communities across Ghana by schools, students/pupils, parents, media houses, publishers, agencies, NGOs and other individuals or organisations.

I am very delighted at winning this prestigious award. This is going to motivate me to reach out to many young people, train students in education for sustainable development and ensure that every child, no matter their socio- economic background, gets access to quality education and mentorship.

Reach me on Twitter:@kennethgyamera

Photos: courtesy of Kenneth Gyamerah

Source: https://yourcommonwealth.org/editors-pick/i-found-my-voice-i-champion-a-worthy-cause/

The founder and CEO of the Runway Aviation Club Ghana, Okyere Obed, has been presented with an award in recognition of his work helping the country’s youth look for a career in aviation. The 23-year-old was given the Young Advocate Award at the EDUCOM Awards 2016 in Accra, Ghana, which are said to honor ‘individual students or groups of students who have successfully advocated for young people either through writing, negotiations, interventions or representations’.

Founded in 2014, the Runway Aviation Club Ghana educates its members on the various routes into the industry, encouraging them to self-educate where possible, with all sectors covered, including business aviation, finance and leasing. The EDUCOM Awards invite nominations from the public, who then make a case for the winners.

Obed said, “I am thrilled to receive this award and I hope it helps us attract interest and support for our project, Runway Aviation Club Ghana, as we need sponsorship from companies at home and abroad to continue advising our young members on careers in all sectors of aviation.”

Source: https://www.businessairportinternational.com/news/accreditation/runway-aviation-club-ghana-honored-for-encouraging-future-generations.html

He is among the three selected finalists who will be honoured come Saturday,27th August, 2016 at the Holiday Inn Hotel, in Accra.Mr. Ali Tanti is an internationally acclaimed Youth Activist who champions the implementation of youth Policies in Africa.
He is also a YALI fellow and the 2015 Passion Media’s Most Influential Youth in Obuasi.

Youth Alliance for Development (YAD) was also nominated for an award in the Education Partnership Award category.

Youth Alliance for Development’s major campaign is the Anti-Teenage Pregnancy which seeks to educate basic school girls to abstain from premature sex and also bring pregnant girls back to school after they’ve being delivered off their babies.

Youth Alliance for Development has over the years organized several Youth empowerment programmes in Obuasi, New Edubiase, Assin Fosu, Assin North and countless Junior High and Senior High Schools.

By Emmanuel Agyemfra Boateng (Obuasitoday.com)

Source: https://newsghana.com.gh/robert-ali-tanti-to-be-honored-by-educom/

The 5th edition of the GLOBAL SUPER TEACHERS CONFERENCE comes off on this Saturday, 24th August 2019 at the Ghana International School in Cantonments, Accra – Ghana under the theme; ‘BRIDGING THE EDUCATION GAP IN AFRICA’.

The Grand Opening of the 7- Day conference which will be addressed by the Education Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku-Prempeh on August 24th, in the past editions brought together teachers and educators across Ghana and the international community.

After the Grand Opening, the conference will continue with transformational Professional Development experience from Monday 26th – 30th August, delivering 20 Break-Out Sessions at the International Training Centre – 60 Lagos Avenue, East Legon NO.60

These professional training sessions or workshops as part of the conference package have come at a time when the Ghana Education curriculum is undergoing critical reforms and set to commence in September 2019.

It seeks to promote creativity and innovation among teachers to empower them to match the pedagogy demands of the New Ghana Education Curriculum and imperative for teachers and school leaders to participate

Neogenics Education Group

In Africa, over one-fifth of children between the ages of 6 and 11 and one-third between the ages of 12 and 14 are out of school. As a continent, Africa records the highest rates of educational exclusion in the world. The educational gap in Africa and the rest of the world for that matter is wide and needs to be narrowed.

NEOGENICS EDUCATION GROUP has for the past five years contributed to narrowing this gap in education through several interventions; one of which is a an annual teachers professional development event dubbed GLOBAL SUPER TEACHERS’ CONFERENCE which brings together renowned local and international educators to equip teachers with contemporary skills to improve standards in classroom practice with an EDUTECH exhibition 21st-century technologies alongside and climaxed with an EDUCATION AWARDS (EDUCOM AWARDS).

Its vision is “to equip educational Institutions and individuals with appropriate tools, skills, training, resources and advisory services which will enable them deliver their goals effectively and maximize their potential.” In the past five years, Neogenics Education has been involved in the training of teachers, heads of schools, teaching assistants and other individuals in the UK, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa and Ghana.

Register to attend this year’s conference via

 

Source: https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Neogenics-Education-Group-organizes-5th-global-super-teachers-conference-in-Accra-774503

Bright lights, great hosts and good-humored audience at the 2022 EDUCOM AWARD, Saturday, 27 August 2022, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The award ceremony was held at Tomriek Hotel, East Legon, Accra, Ghana, West Africa.

The Education Community Awards were presented in the following areas:

• Special Education Provider Award
• School Contribution to Local Community Award,
• Outstanding Early Years Award
• Outstanding Digital Tool in Education Award
• Most Improved School Award
• Business & NGO Contribution to Education Award
• Education & School Leadership Award
• Inspirational Teacher Award
• Partner Recognition Award

Dr. K. Makeda Muhammad was awarded the Inspirational Teacher Award:

“The award recognizes teachers who are bringing learning to life by engaging and inspiring all children and young people to fulfill their potential within their subject area. Consistently giving their learner a daily memorable experience.” –EDUCOM

Dr. Makeda has a PhD in Black Studies.  She repatriated to Africa via Ghana in 2011 from North Carolina, USA.; and she started Pan African/African Global Studies lessons in Ayensudo Akoma School of Arts and Sciences, Elmina. Since then, a Black History teaching position was created at Akoma School to continue the history program.

For eight years, Dr. Makeda has been the Curriculum Coordinator and instructor for JHS1-3 at Ascot School. She has taught ICT, English, Social Studies/African Global Studies, Geography and Chess; and was lead instructor for the Ascot Saturday School.  Dr. Makeda has also tutored and taught students in study and testing methods in preparation for Ghana’s BECE (Basic Education Certificate Examination).

During this time, she rallied donors in the U.S. for the African Sunrise Education Foundation, Cape Coast, in order to help reconnect the foundation administrators, to help further its efforts to provide educational materials and increase donorship.

Dr. Makeda also taught African Global Studies part-time at Paradise Academy, in the Pokuase community in Greater Accra. She has taught at the Abibifahodie African-centered program, Accra, Ghana.

Dr. Makeda has lectured at the historic Accra Polytechnic; and she has sat on lecture panels at the University of Ghana.

Dr. Makeda will always be an educator, today, she is an independent researcher, contributor to Modern Ghana News; and author of Global African Ourstory:  Introduction to African & African Diasporan Studies (2022), and African Global Ourstory:  Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah & the African Diaspora (2022).

Thank you EDUCOM.

“Forward ever…”

Source: https://www.modernghana.com/news/1181490/dr-k-makeda-muhammad-african-diasporan-receive.html