A cross-section of pupils at the launch
Strategic Communications Africa (Stratcomm), a household name in communications and reputation management in Ghana, has unveiled the 2016 edition of its special reading programme for public basic schools across the country dubbed: “Read It, Write It, Say It (RWS).”
This year, Stratcomm Africa, is undertaking the initiative in two schools within the La Dade Kotopon Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, namely Association Community School and La Yahousua Primary School at Labone.
RWS targets young children in Ghana’s public schools and it’s designed to supplement and promote reading, writing and speaking, including analytical thinking.
“RWS provides a platform for parents, teachers and other stakeholders in society to work together to raise literacy levels among young people so as to use literacy for facilitating positive behavior development/change among the youth and the communities in which they live,” according to Stratcomm Africa.
DAILY GUIDE gathered that the RWS is aimed at helping to equip Ghanaian children with relevant literacy skills to improve livelihoods and national development.
Speaking at the launch of the programme on Wednesday at La Yahousua Primary School at Labone, a suburb of Accra, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Stratcomm Africa, Esther Cobbah, explained that the RWS initiative employs child friendly teaching approaches, including drama, story-telling, puppetry, music, tours, among others, to help children develop interest in reading and writing, as well as oral communication.
She stated that “we do this with the aim of helping school-children to ‘Read better, write better and communicate better.’
According to her, pupils from schools within the area will tour airports, mining and petroleum firms in the country to learn and write about such places.
According to her, “The ability of Ghana’s young people to properly read and write has incredibly far-reaching ramifications.”
The programme, Madam Cobbah said, was previously undertaken in Accra at the Kanda Cluster of schools, the New Life Orphanage in Nungua, as well as the Komenda Cluster of schools in the Central region.
Municipal Education Director of Ghana Education Service (GES) for La Dade Kotopon, Bernice Addei, lauded the RWS initiative and pledged GES’s commitment to helping Stratcomm to implement the programme.
Strategic Communication Africa began the RWS programme six years ago with its affiliate Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Centre for Development and Intercultural Co-operation as part activities marking its 15th anniversary celebration.
By Melvin Tarlue