A/R: Four Cocoa communities get schools via Nestlé, ICI, Beyond Beans

Institutions in the cocoa value chain are improving education in four communities. These communities are located in the Ashanti Region. They include Ntinanko, Pewodie, Agogooso, and Agyeikrom.

Nestlé partnered with the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) and ETG/Beyond Beans for this project. The initiative was funded by Nestlé through the Nestlé Cocoa Plan. It aims to enhance access to quality school infrastructure and provide water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.

Schools in these areas face challenges like overcrowding and poor buildings. Students often deal with harsh weather conditions during classes. In Ntinanko, a new three-unit classroom block has been built for students at Ntinanko R/C ‘A’ Basic School.

This facility includes 120 mono desks, four teacher offices, a storeroom, a staff common room, and a WC toilet facility. It also features a mechanized borehole with an overhead tank.

The Pewodie D/A Basic School received a refurbished three-unit KG/Nursery Classroom Block. This school now has an office and 100 tables and chairs for KG students. It also includes three cupboards, four tables, eight chairs for teachers, a four-seater WC toilet, and a mechanized borehole.

Agogooso D/A Basic School had its two-unit classroom block refurbished as well. This school now has four offices for changing rooms and a five-seater WC toilet. A mechanized borehole with an overhead tank was also installed.

Agyeikrom D/A Basic School received 50 tables and chairs along with two cupboards after refurbishing its three-unit classroom block. The school is now furnished with 80 mono desks and three sets of teachers' tables and chairs.

During the commissioning ceremony at Ntinanko R/C Basic School, Salome Azevedo from Nestlé expressed support for local communities linked to their operations. She emphasized their commitment to enhancing community well-being.

Azevedo thanked farmers for supplying high-quality cocoa used in production. She encouraged pupils to take advantage of the upgraded facilities to focus on their studies.

Mike Arthur from ICI highlighted that this initiative addresses child labor issues in cocoa-growing areas. He noted that good-quality education can reduce child labor prevalence.

Arthur stated that children are more likely to attend school when facilities are improved. Providing WASH facilities helps ensure girls stay in school as well.

Stephen Kofi Akomaning, headmaster of Ntinanko R/C “A” Basic School, thanked ICI, Nestlé, ETG/Beyond Beans, and Cocoa Merchants Ltd for their support. He promised to maintain the new facilities properly.

Research shows quality education plays a vital role in child protection efforts. Primary schools significantly increase enrollment rates while decreasing child labor rates in cocoa-growing communities.

Stakeholders emphasized that proximity to schools and basic facilities like toilets improve enrollment rates further. This intervention highlights the importance of investing in educational infrastructure to combat child labor effectively.