As part of the 2024 World Literacy Day celebrations, the Rotaract Club of Accra East Legon (RoCAEL) donated books and mathematical instruments to over one hundred final-year Junior High School (JHS) students of the La-Bawaleshie Presbyterian School in Accra.

The donation, which aligned with this year’s theme Promoting multilingual education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace, was aimed at providing students with the resources they needed for their final exams and highlighted the role of education in promoting peace.

In Ghana, literacy remains a significant challenge. According to the 2021 Population and Housing Census General Report by the Ghana Statistical Service, 80% of children leave primary school without mastering basic literacy or numeracy skills.

Nationally, nearly one in three people aged six and above cannot read or write in any language.

The issue is particularly acute in rural areas, where literacy rates are much lower than in urban regions such as Greater Accra, which boasts an 88% literacy rate, compared to the Savannah Region's 33%.

Rotaract President, Divine Mawuena, encouraged students with Rotary’s Four-Way Test, urging them to excel in their academics as a means to promote peace and development.

Headteacher of the school, Naa Shormey‎ expressed gratitude for the continued support and encouraged the club to strengthen their partnership with the school.

RoCAEL plans to undertake more projects with the school in the coming years, with Rotaractors contributing to this project both financially and through active participation.

RoCAEL's commitment to literacy and education reflects their vision of building not just brighter students, but a more peaceful society.