Mathematics is generally considered to be a challenging subject for the majority of Ghanaian students due to its abstract nature and some misconceptions.

However, AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine remains on course to dispel the misconception that Mathematics is inherently difficult by building the capacity of teachers to seamlessly lay the foundation for students to develop an interest in Mathematics.

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.

Additionally, 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.

At the close-out session to draw the curtains down on the Instructional Capacity building workshop 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 hallmarks. 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.

The training workshop was based on the new educational curriculum introduced by the Ghana Education Service. This was to familiarise the teachers with the new modules and strategies of teaching.

She said improving the classroom teachers’ capacity, knowledge, and skills to facilitate reading for pleasure, comprehension, language development, and effective communication was key in enhancing the reading capacity of learners.

Again, Mrs Kyei 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 Ghana Education Service (GES).

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 GES.

Other interventions include the periodic donation of NaCCA approved textbooks to schools as well as the ongoing construction of a state-of-the-art robotics centre for 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 an increase in enrollment in public schools and built the interest of children in education generally.

The teachers shared their experiences 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.