Katuo circuit takes the spotlight at Wa East District education reading festival

The Basic One and Two pupils from the Katuo Circuit in the Wa East District dominated over the day at the Wa East District level public schools reading festival held in Bulenga on Thursday, June 27, 2024.

The Katuo Circuit won the Basic one and two reading competitions to represent the Wa East District at the regional level. Twelve circuits from the district participated in the reading competition for basic one to three pupils.

Funsi Circuit also won the Basic Three reading competition and would represent the district at the regional level.

Mr Mohammed Damba Issah, the Deputy Director-Human Resource Manager at the Wa East District Education Directorate, who represented the District Director of Education, Madam Ayishatu Ibrahim, stated that the essence of the reading festival is to imbibe reading habit in the children.

He added that the festival would also help teachers and parents to ensure that the pupils read because of its competitive nature.

“Every teacher would want his/her school to be the best and so that would encourage them to ensure that the children read.”

Mr Amos Gyetuo, the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Education Service, Upper West Region, speaking on behalf of the Regional Director of Education, Mr Razak Abdul-Korah, admonished the teachers to use the opportunity of the festival to share best practices and inculcate the habit of reading in the children.

He noted that “one of the benefits of the festival is to ensure that teachers who have accompanied the learners here to participate in the festival use the opportunity of the festival to share best practices when it comes to learning facilitation as far as reading is concern in our classrooms.”

Naa Adama Salia, the School Improvement Support Officer for Yaru Circuit, spoke to the media and expressed concern about the insufficient number of teachers and inadequate classroom blocks in some schools within the district. He pointed out that these challenges are likely to hinder the success of the project.

Naa Salia made a passionate appeal to the government to provide incentives to teachers who accept postings to remote communities in order to motivate them to stay. Additionally, he called on the government to construct classrooms in schools where they are lacking.

The reading festival was sponsored by USAID in partnership with the Government of Ghana and Ghana Education Service to strengthen accountability in the education system. It was held on the theme: Reading, a pathway to the world.