Demystifying Mathematics in Schools: AngloGold Ashanti enhances the capacity of teachers in Obuasi
Mathematics is generally considered to be a challenging subject for majority of Ghanaian students due to the abstract nature it takes on as one progresses on to higher grades or classes, knowledge gaps, anxieties, and some misconceptions.
However, committed to improve quality education in Obuasi and its host communities through efficient and effective service delivery to students within the public sector, AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine remains on course to dispel the notion that mathematics is inherently difficult by enhancing the capacity of teachers to seamlessly lay a strong foundation for students or learners to develop an interest in it.
The mining company sponsored a comprehensive capacity building workshop in numeracy for 590 basic school teachers in both the Obuasi East and the Obuasi Municipalities.
This affirms the critical role of the teachers in shaping the learners’ understanding of mathematical concepts as their knowledge in the contents, pedagogy, and beliefs have a significant impact on instructional strategies of teachers.
An additional 187 teachers from the two districts were also trained in the Curriculum Core Programme, focusing on essential skills such as oral communication, summary, and translation.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) recently introduced a new curriculum for basic schools in Ghana. This new curriculum, which covers learners from kindergarten through senior high school, aims to ensure that students are competent in four core areas: reading, writing, arithmetic, and creativity.
It also emphasizes group work, lifelong skills, job market preparation, inclusive education, gender equality, and cultural considerations. The curriculum is designed to build character, nurture values, and create clear pathways for academic and career-related programs.
Therefore, the Instructional Capacity Workshop for Teachers is one of several series of trainings, workshops, and seminars AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine plans to implement for teachers and other stakeholders within the educational sector to familiarize them (the teachers) with the new modules and strategies of teaching, to improve learning outcomes in Obuasi.
At the workshop’s close-out session held on Friday 28 March 2025, Mavis Nana Yaa Kyei, the Gender and Social Development said AngloGold Ashanti embarked on the Instructional Capacity Workshop for Teachers programme as part of the Education Pillar of their 10-Year SEDP, knowing that the cornerstone of any successful education improvement rests on the strength and capability of its educators.
” When we launched this initiative, it was our vision to create a community of practice for our teachers where innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence will be the hallmark. I am happy to announce this vision is progressively becoming a reality, and I can’t wait to see the outcome of our effort soon, “she stressed.
Ms. Kyei added that improving the classroom teachers’ capacity, knowledge, and skills to facilitate reading for pleasure, comprehension, language development, and effective communication was vital in enhancing the reading capacity of learners.
Again, she mentioned that the need to bolster interest in learning mathematics based on concrete examples and demonstrations has become crucial in promoting STEM education, hence the workshop.
Introduced in 2023, the Instructional Capacity Building Workshop for teachers forms a key part of the array of educational interventions lined up by AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine to improve educational outcomes in its host communities.
The company in recent times has handed over a 9-unit classroom block at Sanso to the GES in recent times. Again, it has handed over two fully furnished examination printing centres in both the Obuasi East and the Obuasi Municipalities to the respective Assemblies and the Ghana Education Service.
Other interventions include the periodic donation of NaCCA approved textbooks to schools, organizing of inter-school quiz and debate competitions, as well as the ongoing construction of a state- of -the- art robotics centre for Obuasi, which is situated at the Obuasi Senior High Technical School.
These interventions, according to the Obuasi Municipal Director of Education, George Alfred Koomson, have succeeded in improving educational outcomes in Obuasi.
The results for the National Standardised Test in 2022 revealed that out of basic 4 learners who took part in the exams, only 38% of learners nationwide could read and comprehend what they read.
This he said signified that a staggering 62% could not read nor comprehend what they read.
” This birthed the capacity building workshop for our teachers, which started in 2023. It was about teaching how to read in the basic school. Immediately after the workshop, we decided to implement something new, which was about early morning readings. This achieved the needed results, and our directorate in Obuasi East won a national award for that. Now, the policy has been adopted and implemented in the whole region. We are grateful to AngloGold Ashanti for the support, “Mr. Koomson asserted.
The Obuasi East Municipal Director of Education Kwabena Owusu Nketia also commended AngloGold Ashanti for supporting education in Obuasi adding that, the interventions have resulted in increase in enrolment in public schools and built the interest of children in education generally.
The teachers shared their experience about the capacity workshop and how it has shaped their teaching skills and influenced their strategies towards teaching. Miss Joana Jones and Georgina Lilly Nkansah of Obuasi Anglican school viewed the training workshop as the right impetus needed to sharpen their teaching skills also stressing that, it would have a positive influence on their approach towards teaching.
