Sanitation and Literacy Ghana (SALG) has constructed a modern library for residents and pupils of Afari Presby Basic School in the Ashanti region.

The organisation said it was investing in educational development in the region to create a rich pool of human resources that can be relied upon for the sustainability and other services necessary for development.

The Afari M/A Basic School, like many rural public schools, is bereft of adequate reading resources and facilities, impacting the literacy in the area.

Despite Ghana’s progress to improve access to schools, several children cannot read nor write.

The situation is dire in remote areas owing to lack of reading facilities at schools and communities as the country presently has only 150 out of a proposed 500 libraries across each district.  

A large number of pupils in the country are struggling to meet proficiency cut-off points for the English Language between grades four and six.

Headmaster of the school, Reverend Francis Afum Agyei commended SALG for the initiative as it would help improve the quality of education.

"The new library is going to help us a lot because the new library has an ICT lab and a modern books that will benefit the students with the new curriculum that we are using now. 

“Now we need a new building block for the students. Our numbers are almost 600 now and the classrooms and tables here are not enough so we need tables, chairs, and a new block to accommodate more students,” he said. 

Across Ghana, only 150 libraries have been established out of the proposed 500. 20 of the facilities have been constructed in the Ashanti region.

 Ashanti regional librarian of Ghana Library Authority, Ofosu Frimpong described the situation as woefully inadequate.

“The libraries are woefully inadequate across the country. There are plans to increase the numbers but we’d need support from philanthropic institutions like this,” he said.

To change the narrative to provide easy access to a variety of books in public schools and communities, the Sanitation and Literacy, Ghana (SALG) has unveiled a new library for students of Afari Presby Basic School.

Over the past decade, SALG has demonstrated its commitment to enhancing education in Ghana by sending  20 to 40 containers of books to rural areas and performing schools across the country.

Founder of the organisation, Rose Sarpong Owens said plans are in the pipeline to provide technology accessibilities to Ghanaian children.

“Looking ahead, SALG has ambitious plans to further empower the youth of Afari by providing access to modern technology. In line with this vision, the organization is in the process of building a state-of-the-art computer lab, aiming to equip children with the skills necessary to thrive in the technological age,” Rose Sarpong Owens, founder of the organization, said.

The Volta region, Upper East, and the St. Paul Senior High School in the Ashanti region have all benefited from SALG's book donations.

Emphasising the importance of literacy, she encouraged students in Afari to cultivate the habit of reading, citing it as a crucial step towards a brighter future for these children.

Not limiting their efforts to educational investments alone, SALG has made significant strides in improving sanitation facilities in schools.

The organisation has constructed toilet facilities at the Opuku Ware by constructing to enhance hygiene conditions for students