The Member of Parliament for Amenfi Central, Hon. Joana Gyan Cudjoe, has intensified efforts to improve education delivery and teacher welfare in the constituency through her flagship Joana Gyan Cudjoe Teacher Initiative, a programme designed to address teacher shortages, motivate educators, and improve learning outcomes, particularly in underserved rural communities.
As part of the initiative, the MP has employed 35 community teachers who have been deployed to support teaching and learning in 28 basic schools across the constituency.
The intervention was introduced to tackle the persistent challenge of teacher absenteeism and the reluctance of some professional teachers to accept postings to remote communities due to inadequate social amenities.
The programme, which began as a pilot project at Manukrom in 2013, has since been expanded to benefit several communities across Amenfi Central.
Under the initiative, each community teacher receives a monthly salary ranging between GH¢800 and GH¢1,000, with the full cost borne by the MP.
The arrangement has relieved parents of the financial burden of contributing towards the salaries of community teachers, while ensuring that pupils in rural schools continue to receive uninterrupted instruction.
Schools currently benefiting from the programme include Agyedum, Obeng, Chichiso No. 1, Chichiso No. 2, Antobam, Nyamebekyere, Agona Camp, Juabo, Anhiafutu, Manukrom and several other communities within the constituency.
Beyond employing community teachers, Hon. Cudjoe has extended financial assistance to 39 schools under the Teacher Initiative. The support covers a total student population of 8,829 and benefits 137 teachers.
According to figures released by her office, each school received between GH¢8,400 and GH¢22,400 over a seven-month period, amounting to a total disbursement of GH¢589,680. The initiative provides a monthly allocation of GH¢84,240 to motivate teachers and enhance the quality of education across the constituency.
A statement from the MP’s office described the initiative as a long-term investment in the future of the constituency.
“Madam Joana Gyan Cudjoe’s efforts have been commendable, and her commitment to education is expected to have a lasting impact on the community,” the statement noted.
The MP has also undertaken several surprise visits to schools, where she has presented cash donations to teachers and pledged support for the expansion of educational facilities to boost staff morale and improve teaching conditions.
In addition to teacher welfare, Hon. Cudjoe has continued to invest in educational infrastructure.
In March 2026, she donated 50 bags of cement to the Agona Camp Islamic School to support the completion of an ongoing classroom block project aimed at providing a more conducive learning environment for pupils.
Representatives of the MP said the donation forms part of her broader commitment to improving educational infrastructure and ensuring that children across Amenfi Central have access to quality learning facilities.
Hon. Cudjoe said her interventions are intended to address the shortage of teachers in deprived communities, reduce the financial burden on parents, improve academic performance, and create employment opportunities for young graduates within the constituency.
She has also pledged to sustain the salary support for the community teachers annually at an estimated cost of GH¢269,280, with payments scheduled every four months.
Education stakeholders in Amenfi Central have welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention that is helping bridge staffing gaps in rural schools while creating jobs for graduates and laying a stronger educational foundation for future generations.
They believe the sustained investment in teacher welfare and educational infrastructure will contribute significantly to improving academic outcomes and expanding access to quality basic education throughout the constituency.
By 1960news.com
