Impact Story: Universal International School, Ghana
The Universal International School in Offinso, Ghana is the product of the determination of Mary Adutwumwaa, the school leader. She started the school with her own financial resources and a bare minimum of 3 teachers in 2011. Enrollment started with 44 learners which saw massive growth through the years; by 2016, the school had 400 enrolled learners. The number of staff has also grown to 10 teachers. Ms. Adutwumaa utilized strategic methods such as acquiring school improvement loans, door-to-door marketing, and savings investments to grow her school.
The initial investment by Ms. Adutwumwaa was used to build classrooms. Later, she was able to secure school improvement loans from OISL. The first loan was for 8,000 GHS and it was used to construct separate bathroom facilities for girls and boys, in an effort to promote female attendance. The EduQuality program was introduced to the Universal International School by OISL, who have continued to have a positive relationship with cluster members in the Ammansie Mma Cluster.
The EduQuality program offers School Leadership Professional Development (SLPD) training, where senior school leaders are provided with professional development training focusing on instructional leadership and school management best practices. Through this training, Universal International School benefitted from budgeting management and schemes, and enabled the school leader to improve financial strategies.
Most teachers in affordable non-state schools lack extensive professional training. However, the EduQuality program aims to change that by providing Teacher Mentor Professional Development (TMPD) training. This training equips teacher mentors to lead professional development sessions, conduct classroom observations and feedback, and offer ongoing coaching to their peers, following a training-of-trainers model. At Universal International School, teacher mentors collaborate as a unit, effectively delivering phonics lessons to enhance communication skills among their peers. This approach, along with their efforts to provide constructive feedback, has led to remarkable improvements in teacher-learner relationships.
The school's top priority in its development plan is establishing a child protection policy to ensure student safety. To achieve this, the school efficiently utilizes learning resources provided by EduQuality Education Specialists and maintains a clean and hygienic learning environment. Furthermore, the school strives to increase enrollment rates, especially among young girls, in the primary and pre-primary sections.
By implementing the SLPD and TMPD modules in various aspects of the school, such as budgeting and teacher mentoring, the school continues to thrive while staying true to its mission of providing quality education and empowering young minds. Ms. Adutwumaa expresses gratitude to the EduQuality program and emphasizes its lasting impact on the school and teachers.