Capacity Building
Dear Lead For Ghana Community,
Welcome to this week’s edition of Briefings From Lead For Ghana brought to you by Sentinel Asset Management Limited. Here’s what to expect:
Continuous Improvement: Supporting Lead For Ghana Fellows.
Fellow Spotlight: Gilbert Aligvuuk - Competence and Confidence.
Alumni Spotlight: Kennedy Yeboah - Courage to Serve.
Continuous Improvement - Supporting Lead For Ghana Fellows
A group photo with the Lead For Ghana Staff, Head Teachers and Fellows after Day 1 of the Personal Development session.
At Lead For Ghana, continuous growth and capacity building remain at the heart of our mission. Over this week and the next, we are hosting Personal Development (PD) Sessions across all 16 regions of Ghana, impacting 110 basic and senior high schools and engaging 110 headteachers alongside our Fellows. This nationwide effort is centered around the theme “Creating a Data Culture in Schools”—a bold step towards fostering environments where data drives teaching, learning, and school management.
These sessions are designed to equip Fellows and headteachers with the tools to collect, analyze, and apply data to inform school-wide decisions. By embedding a culture of data use, we aim to improve student outcomes and strengthen school leadership.
Fellows, Head Teachers and the Staff of Lead For Ghana working together through the Personal Development sessions.
In addition, there are finance capacity-building sessions for Fellows, helping them develop the financial knowledge and skills needed to improve their personal finances and support fundraising efforts for their Capstone Projects - the projects they are required to complete in their schools and/or communities by the end of their Fellowship. This practical learning experience empowers Fellows to take ownership of their finances and future initiatives.
Beyond the training, these sessions provide Fellows with the chance to reconnect, share experiences, and celebrate the incredible impact they’ve made so far.
We are actively nurturing a network of empowered educators and learners, ready to lead transformational change in Ghana and beyond. Are you ready to be a part of this future-forward community? You still have a chance to join the Lead For Ghana Leadership & Entrepreneurship Fellowship. Take that bold step today!
Fellow Spotlight: Gilbert Aligvuuk - Competence and Confidence.
Gilbert Aligvuuk, a dedicated Fellow at Teshie Presbyterian Senior High School in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.
"You don’t know who you are nurturing. You might be nurturing the next president or the next great footballer — but you won’t know until much later. That’s the power of teaching." - Gilbert Aligvuuk
Rooted in Purpose
Gilbert Aligvuuk’s story is one of deep commitment to service and growth. A graduate of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology with a degree in Land Economics, Gilbert’s path to the classroom wasn’t linear, but it was purposeful.
During his National Service at the Ministry of Works and Housing, he came across a Lead For Ghana advert on Instagram which sparked a connection. He applied, driven not only by curiosity but by a longstanding commitment to education.
Now in his second year of the Fellowship, Gilbert teaches Mathematics despite a background rooted more in the Social Sciences. This shift didn’t come without challenges, but he embraced the unfamiliar terrain with resolve, using online platforms, peer mentorship, and self-study to build competence and confidence.
Turning Challenges Into Change
Gilbert’s first year in the Fellowship tested both his teaching ability and his emotional bandwidth. None of the students scored above 50% on a simple quiz he gave, prompting him to dig deeper.
He introduced Friday inter-class football games and started weaving student engagement into the rhythm of school life. Attendance rose. Confidence improved. Over time, the students became more open, sharing personal stories—some heartbreaking—about family struggles and emotional burdens that were affecting their ability to learn.
Gilbert didn’t stop at sympathy. He collected parents’ contact details, made calls, advocated for support, and offered himself as a bridge between school and home. In one case, a girl burdened by late-night duties at her family's bar finally received his intervention. He realized that teaching went beyond academics—it also meant being a caregiver, a counselor, and a consistent source of support for his students.
A Capstone of Hope
His current Capstone Project—furnishing classrooms with desks and chairs—was born out of necessity. Students were sitting on blocks or plywood to write their exams. In response, Gilbert launched an initiative to provide 200 desks, raising just over 3,000 cedis so far. Progress was slow, but the team remains hopeful. Despite the uphill journey, he remains committed to completing the project, even after the Fellowship ends.
Words to the Wise
To his peers and first-year Fellows, Gilbert offers this heartfelt guidance;
“This work is not just about teaching. You are a surrogate parent. Embrace it. The reward may not be instant, but the impact is eternal.”
Alumni Spotlight: Kennedy Yeboah - Courage to Serve.
Kennedy Yeboah, a member of The Leadership Network and the 2020 Cohort of the Lead For Ghana Fellowship.
“I entered the Fellowship with questions about my future — I left with clarity, purpose, and conviction” - Kennedy Yeboah
From Fellowship to Leadership
Kennedy Yeboah’s journey from a rural classroom in Ghana’s Volta Region to leading an international school in Accra is a powerful testament to what’s possible when passion meets opportunity. With a first degree in Material Science and a postgraduate degree in Educational Innovation from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kennedy’s academic foundation was strong. But it was his time with Lead For Ghana that helped him discover where he could make the most impact.
Selected during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kennedy was part of the first cohort to undergo Institute Training online. That experience didn’t just prepare him for the classroom; it reignited his love for teaching and solidified his desire to serve.
Teaching in a Village, Building a Vision
Kennedy was placed in a rural school where students in junior high school could not even write their names. Rather than become disheartened, he responded by rallying resources, creating makeshift classrooms, and investing time in one-on-one tutoring.
That level of commitment didn’t go unnoticed. After completing the Fellowship, Kennedy joined the British International School in Accra, where he was quickly recognized as Best Teacher of the Year. Today, he serves as the school’s principal—proof that investing in underserved communities can unlock untold potential for both students and educators.
A Legacy Beyond the Classroom
Kennedy’s work doesn’t stop at the school gate. He is the founder of the Glokennies Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving access to quality education in rural areas. Long before joining Lead For Ghana, Kennedy was already mobilising friends and resources to support children in remote communities. The Fellowship simply expanded his reach.
One of the Foundation’s standout achievements came in 2023 when it donated 100 dual desks to Ankaase Matamallam School in the Oti Region of Ghana. The donation was in response to a dire need—students were sitting on the bare floor to learn. This donation brought dignity and comfort to a classroom that had been forgotten.
Advice for Future Fellows
For current and future Fellows, Kennedy’s message is clear:
“Don’t take this opportunity lightly. See it as a calling, not just a job. When I reflect on my journey, I remember how uncertain the future seemed. But giving my all—despite the doubt—opened doors I couldn’t have imagined.”
Education News In Africa
Africa: Africa’s Education Emergency: Why the Clock Is Ticking Toward Extinction
French President Emmanuel Macron's recent assertion that Africa "is not yet ready to manage its own affairs" and his warning that a French withdrawal could halt African progress have ignited fierce debate. While many have condemned his remarks as neo-colonial and dismissive of African agency, the uncomfortable reality is that Macron's claim resonates uncomfortably with the crisis in African classrooms. But Macron is wrong to suggest that Africa's future depends on perpetual foreign aid. The real emergency is not about Macron's presence or absence; it's about whether Africa can urgently reinvent its own systems to survive the unfolding age of automation and disruption.
(Source: Modern Ghana)
Ghana: Ghana Champions Africa’s Push for Teacher Excellence at Innovation Africa 2025
Ghana’s education reforms took center stage at Innovation Africa 2025 in Addis Ababa, where Deputy Education Minister Dr. Clement Apaak outlined initiatives to enhance teaching professionalism across Africa. Dr. Apaak highlighted Ghana’s commitment to excellence in teacher education, particularly reforms in Initial Teacher Education. All Colleges of Education now offer a Bachelor of Education program aligned with national curriculum changes. The Public Relations Unit of the Ministry of Education stated this in a release copied to the Ghana News Agency. Speaking during a panel discussion on the theme “Ensuring the Professional Development of Quality Teachers to Deliver Curriculum Reform in Africa,” Dr. Apaak addressed inequalities in education access. The government, he said, has deployed a teacher deployment and retention policy offering allowances, housing, and mentorship to educators in underserved areas.
(Source: Ghana News Agency)
Kenya: Kenya to Lead Africa's Push to Harmonise Education and Qualifications
Kenya has been appointed to chair the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) Network, a step toward unifying education and qualification standards across Africa. The appointment, announced this week, recognises Kenya’s work in implementing the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF) and places the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) at the centre of efforts to improve comparability, recognition and quality assurance of skills and academic qualifications.
(Source: The Standard)
Announcement
Apply For The 2025 Lead For Ghana Fellowship
Join a passionate network of changemakers committed to transforming education and shaping a brighter future for Ghana. If you’re looking for a challenge that will push you to grow while making a lasting difference, this is it!
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