By Nadia Ntiamoah
Access to books and quality learning materials took centre stage in Issa, the capital of the Daffiama–Bussie–Issa District in the Upper West Region, as the Rainbow Trust Foundation rolled out a major educational support programme aimed at strengthening literacy and learning outcomes in rural public schools.
The initiative, marked by a book and educational materials donation ceremony, was led by the Chief Executive Officer of the Rainbow Trust Foundation, Nana Akosua Agyapomaa Asare, and brought together traditional authorities, education officials, security representatives, teachers, parents and pupils from beneficiary schools within the district.
Addressing the gathering, Nana Akosua Agyapomaa Asare underscored the importance of education as a cornerstone of national development and social stability, noting that the intervention was inspired by a shared belief that long-term security and progress are built through knowledge and empowered young people.
She paid tribute to the Director of Special Operations at National Security, Richard Jakpa, whose request and support, she said, made the donation possible.
According to the Rainbow Trust Foundation CEO, the involvement of Jakpa reflected a broader understanding that national security goes beyond enforcement and vigilance to include investment in education and human capital.
She described the collaboration as a demonstration of how institutions can work together to address deep-rooted social challenges.
Providing background to the intervention, the Foundation pointed to long-standing challenges facing public schools in rural Ghana, particularly inadequate access to textbooks and reading materials.
National education data over the years, she noted, has consistently shown that in some regions pupils are compelled to share a single textbook among several classmates, a situation that hampers effective teaching, weakens reading habits and limits academic performance.
Issa’s strategic importance as the administrative capital of the Daffiama–Bussie–Issa District was also emphasised during the event.
The beneficiary institutions—Issa R/C School, Issa All Saints School and Issa Technical Institute—were described as critical to shaping the future workforce of the district, producing farmers, artisans, technicians, professionals and community leaders whose contributions would drive local and national development.
Nana Akosua Asare explained that the donation aligns with the core mission of the Rainbow Trust Foundation, which seeks to ensure that every child, regardless of geographical location, has access to books and the opportunity to read, learn and aspire.
She, however, stressed that the Foundation’s intervention goes beyond the provision of books.
As part of a longer-term sustainability plan, the Foundation announced plans to return at a later date to organise teacher-librarian training sessions in the beneficiary schools.
