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More Than Teaching: Suhum and Ayensuano Teachers Shoulder Rising Social Burdens.

Published on June 2 2025

Introduction
In a modest classroom in Suhum, Madam Abena Yeboah’s day begins not with numbers or textbooks, but with wiping away tears, calming emotional outbursts, and looking out for signs of neglect among her students.
“I trained to teach mathematics,” she says with a quiet sigh. “But now, my mornings are spent comforting hungry children and addressing challenges that go far beyond the classroom syllabus.”

Across Ghana’s Eastern Region, in rural districts like Suhum and Ayensuano, teachers are carrying more than chalk and textbooks. They are increasingly stepping in as caregivers, counselors, and providers. As parental involvement fades, the classroom has become a refuge for children left behind by poverty, migration, and fractured family structures.

Disappearing Parents, Disconnected Homes
For many families, survival has become the top priority. Economic hardship forces parents to focus on feeding their children, often at the expense of their educational involvement. Rural-urban migration has also seen many children left in the care of elderly grandparents or relatives, some of whom are too frail or illiterate to support schoolwork.
“I want to help my children with school,” says Akua Mensima, a single mother in Ayensuano, “but I leave home before sunrise to sell at the market and return after dark. If I don’t work, we don’t eat.”
In communities where both time and resources are stretched thin, the responsibility to raise and mold children is gradually shifting from the family to the teacher.

Burnout in the Classroom
For educators like Mr. Kwame Mensah, the changes are overwhelming.
“It used to be a partnership,” he says. “Parents cared. They came to meetings. Now, we’re expected to handle everything, from feeding hungry students to addressing trauma from unstable homes. And then somehow still teach.”
The pressure is mounting. Teachers are increasingly exhausted and emotionally drained. The demands of Ghana’s new Standard-Based Curriculum, which requires detailed planning and delivery, are often sidelined by the immediate social and emotional needs of their students.
Classroom time is now divided between education and crisis management, leaving learning outcomes hanging in the balance.

A Ray of Hope
Despite the bleak picture, some changes are beginning to take root. Through targeted interventions such as Savana Signatures’ “Rural Youth in Ghana Catching up on Education” project, communities are slowly beginning to re-engage with schools.
The project has conducted 45 community discussions involving over 850 parents and supported the formation of five Child Protection Committees. Since its implementation, teachers in targeted schools report increased parental presence and a notable reduction in classroom stress.
“We didn’t realize how our absence was affecting our children,” one parent confessed after a sensitisation session. “Now, I try to attend meetings and check on their homework. It’s a small start, but it matters.”

Rebuilding the Bridge
Education stakeholders are calling for stronger community-school partnerships. Suggestions include establishing active Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), organising family engagement days at schools, creating mentorship programmes for young or single parents and hosting public awareness campaigns to highlight the role of parents in education
“This isn’t about pointing fingers,” says a local education officer. “It’s about bringing parents back into the picture. Teachers can’t raise these children alone.”

Beyond the Curriculum
As the day winds down in Ayensuano, Madam Abena finishes her lesson notes. Today, she has fed a student who hadn’t eaten in two days, comforted another with visible signs of neglect, and settled a dispute between siblings, all before starting her class.
“I love teaching,” she says. “But I can’t keep doing everything. No teacher can.”
Her voice, like that of many others, is not one of anger, but of quiet desperation. Because when the bell rings in Suhum and Ayensuano, it doesn’t just summon children to class, it calls an entire community to action.

By: Prince Kwame Tamakloe/Ralf – Savana Signatures

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FC Tamale President Ibrahim Gagbuni Supports Northern Women’s Football Unity Games‎

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Published: September 5, 2026

Published at: 7:30Pm

By Abu Liza


‎ President of FC Tamale, Mr. Ibrahim Gagbuni, has demonstrated his commitment to the development of women’s football in the Northern Region by donating 10 family packs of Verna drinking water to the Northern Regional Women Football Clubs Association.


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‎The donation is to support the Association’s upcoming Unity Games in Kumbungu, an initiative aimed at bringing women’s football clubs together to promote unity, friendship, sportsmanship and community cohesion.
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‎Mr. Gagbuni said football goes beyond competition and can serve as a powerful tool for unity, peace and humanity. He encouraged participating clubs, players, officials and organizers to use the games to strengthen relationships and promote the development of women’s football in the region.


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‎The FC Tamale President noted that although the donation may be modest, it represents his willingness to support initiatives that create opportunities and improve the welfare of women involved in football.
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‎The Northern Regional Women Football Clubs Association expressed appreciation for the gesture, describing it as an important show of solidarity and support for the Unity Games.


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‎The Unity Games in Kumbungu are expected to bring together women’s football clubs in a spirit of friendship, healthy competition and collective development

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NAFCO Warns Public Against Fraudsters Posing as Agents to Secure School Feeding Contracts

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Published: September 3, 2026

Published at: 06:12Pm

By Saibu Terry

The National Food Buffer Stock Company Limited (NAFCO) has cautioned members of the public against individuals allegedly posing as agents of the company and claiming to have influence over the award of food supply contracts to second-cycle institutions.

According to NAFCO, the individuals are going around soliciting money from unsuspecting members of the public under the pretext of helping them secure food supply contracts.

In a disclaimer issued by its Corporate Affairs Department on Thursday, September 3, 2026, NAFCO stressed that no third party is engaged in the award and allocation of contracts for food supplies to schools.

The company explained that it operates an open-door policy and encouraged interested entities to register at its offices nationwide and undergo a rigorous merit-based selection process.

NAFCO warned that the selection process is devoid of third-party influence and urged the public to disregard anyone who claims to have connections or influence over the award of food supply contracts.

The company further advised anyone approached by individuals soliciting money in exchange for assistance in securing food supply contracts to report them to the nearest police station.

For further clarification on NAFCO’s operations, the company urged the public to contact its hotlines on 0244669709, 0549004501, and 0269983462, or email info@nafco.gov.gh.

NAFCO reiterated that members of the public should exercise caution and avoid making payments to individuals who claim they can influence the contract award process.

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Former Ghanaian Footballer Jafar Samed Issah Cheers on Friend Jaleen Smith as Croatia Thrash Latvia‎

Details

Published: August 29, 2026

Published at: 01:18Pm

By Saibu Terry
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‎Former Ghanaian professional footballer Abdul Jafar Samed Issah was in attendance, alongside his spouse Khadija , to support his close friend Jaleen Devon Smith as Croatia secured a convincing 115–80 victory over Latvia in the FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifying campaign on Thursday, August 27, 2026.


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‎Issah, who enjoyed a professional football career with stints in Denmark, Latvia, Ethiopia and other European destinations, made time to cheer on Smith as Croatia bounced back strongly following their defeat to Germany.
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‎Smith was instrumental in Croatia’s impressive performance, showcasing the form and quality that have made him an important figure for the national team. The result provided Croatia with a much-needed boost in their qualifying campaign.


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‎Beyond the sporting arena, Smith and Issah have developed a close friendship over the past year. Their relationship has extended beyond football and basketball, with the pair sharing ideas about potential humanitarian and community-development projects in northern Ghana.


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‎Smith, an American-born professional basketball player who has represented Croatia at international level, has developed a growing admiration for Ghana and is reportedly keen to contribute to initiatives that could positively impact communities in the northern part of the country.
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‎The friendship between the two sports personalities has therefore evolved into more than a personal connection, with discussions around future projects creating excitement among Smith’s supporters and admirers in Ghana.
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‎Smith recently signed with Hapoel Jerusalem, where he is set to compete in the Israeli Premier League and EuroCup. As he continues to make an impact on the basketball court, his growing connection with Ghana through his friendship with Jafar Samad Issah could open the door to meaningful humanitarian initiatives in the future.
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‎For Issah, Thursday’s game was another opportunity to stand firmly behind his friend and celebrate Croatia’s emphatic victory over Latvia.

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