Education in Adarkwa has received a lift with the handover of a new six-unit classroom block to Adarkwa Methodist Primary School by Nestlé Ghana and ECOM Ghana. The ceremony was held on Friday, May 22, as part of efforts to strengthen learning in cocoa-growing communities.
The new facility comes equipped with classrooms, offices, storerooms, and toilet facilities aimed at providing a safer and more conducive learning environment. Stakeholders described the project as a major boost for education in Adarkwa.
Speaking at the event, Nestlé Ghana Managing Director Salome Azevedo said the initiative would inspire hope and create greater opportunities for children. “I am delighted to be here today for this brief ceremony to hand over a six-unit classroom block with offices, storeroom, and toilet facilities to the Adarkwa Methodist Primary School, an initiative that will inspire new hope and create greater opportunities for the children of this community,” she stated.
She underscored the role of classrooms in shaping young minds: “In a good classroom, students feel comfortable, respected, and ready to learn. It is a place where young minds are shaped, confidence is built, and dreams are nurtured.”
Mrs. Azevedo disclosed that Nestlé Ghana had already commissioned four schools in the Ashanti Region this year and was also commissioning one in Akroma, Central Region. Three additional schools are being built with ECOM Ghana and are expected to be completed before the end of the year. She noted that Nestlé sources cocoa from these communities and wants them to thrive sustainably. She also highlighted that the classroom desks were made from recycled plastic to address plastic waste.
A presiding member speaking for Suhum Municipal Chief Executive Lydia Ohenewa Sarah commended Nestlé and ECOM for investing in education infrastructure. She said the facility would improve teaching and learning, inspire confidence, encourage attendance, and promote better academic performance, and urged the community to maintain it for future generations.
Headmaster Emmanuel Padi expressed gratitude, describing the project as the fulfillment of a long-held dream. He said the school had operated for nearly 90 years in a dilapidated structure that affected teaching: “The children were not coming to school frequently. Sometimes they got sick because the classrooms were too hot. During rainfall and extreme heat, academic work had to stop.” He believes the new building will improve academic performance and increase enrollment.
