Azupupunga: The Northfin Foundation, in collaboration with Felixfonds of Belgium, has made a significant contribution to St. Andrews Catholic Primary and Kindergarten School in the Azupupunga community, located in the Bawku West District. The donation includes much-needed textbooks, sports equipment, and furniture aimed at enhancing educational experiences and promoting sports activities within the school.
According to Ghana News Agency, the initiative was prompted by observations during monitoring visits, which highlighted the detrimental impact of the lack of textbooks on classroom instruction. Mr. Rex Asanga, Executive Director of the Northfin Foundation, explained that an appeal to Felixfonds resulted in the provision of funds to acquire textbooks for all classes, as well as footballs, jerseys, and teachers' furniture.
The school, originally founded as the Azupupunga Community Primary School by the Northfin Foundation with Felixfonds' support in 2019, was a response to local parents' concerns about children dropping out due to the long distance to the nearest primary school. The initial facilities included a three-unit classroom block and headteacher's office, admitting its first students in the 2019/2020 academic year.
As enrolment grew, the Foundation, with continued support from Felixfonds, constructed additional classrooms for kindergarten pupils, furnished the rooms, and provided a borehole for a reliable water supply to the school and the surrounding community. Eventually absorbed by the Ghana Education Service (GES) and handed over to the Catholic Education Unit, the school was renamed St. Andrews Catholic Primary School.
Mr. Asanga praised Mr. John Akugre, the former Assembly Member for Tilli Electoral Area, and the volunteer teachers whose dedication sustained the school before the GES integration. He highlighted that, thanks to Felixfonds' support, three volunteer teachers have now become licensed educators and completed their national service, with the Foundation committing to further support them.
Expressing gratitude to Felixfonds, Mr. Asanga emphasized the importance of acquiring the community land designated for the school to avert future encroachment issues. The dedication to community development extends beyond Azupupunga, with projects like a mechanised borehole for a local health facility also underway.
Mr. Bukari Shaibu of GES-Bawku West commended the partnership between the Northfin Foundation and Felixfonds, affirming the directorate's commitment to prioritizing the volunteer teachers in future recruitments. Similarly, Mr. John Akugre expressed appreciation for the opportunities the school has provided to local children, and Madam Blessing Ndemah Abare, the Headteacher, vowed to leverage the new resources to improve educational quality.