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| Students at a school built by Golden Star |
Golden Star helps to provide access for children to participate and stay in school, primarily through the provision of schools, accommodation, scholarships and transport.
We are committed to contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) within our areas of influence and we support the achievement of SDG number 4 for quality education by helping children and families to be able to access and stay in school.
Read on to see more about these contributions and the direct impact they have had on the lives of children and families in our host communities…
Schools and Classrooms
Since 2006 Golden Star and the Golden Star Development Foundation have built numerous schools and supported the construction of others:
• Adamanso - 3 unit classroom block and toilet facilities
• Akymepim A – 3 unit classroom block and extension of electricity to the school
• Akymepim B – 6 unit classroom block, library, and extension of electricity to the school
• Ateiku - 3 classroom blocks and teachers accommodation (New Togbekrom resettlement)
• Daboase – student dormitories
• Juabeng – 6 unit classroom block, toilet facilities, and a school field
• Kwame Niampa – classroom block
• Mamponso – roofing of a three unit classroom block
• Mbease Nsuta – day care centre
• New Togbekrom – kindergarten and community library (New Togbekrom resettlement)
• Ningo and Subriso – 6 unit primary school with teachers quarters and toilet facilities
• Nsadweso – renovation of community kindergarten
• Old Subri – classroom block and extension of electricity to the school
• Prestea – 8 unit classroom block
Here are some stories from local teachers, students, parents and others involved with the schools:
Abraham Gyapaah, Headmaster of Akyempim School B
“At Akyempim School students results were poor, classrooms were crowded, and brilliant students did not have the financial support to advance to secondary school. Golden Star has had a great impact by building a new school block, providing scholarships, and supporting mock exams. We can now boast winning 15 trophies last year, having enough classrooms, and high student motivation. I really appreciate and thank the company. God bless Golden Star.”
James Nkrumah, Assembly Man from Akyempim
“Education is the key to success and I was saddened when students had to use lanterns to study at night, or were late for school after fetching water. Golden Star has created a new world for us by providing access to electricity, a good source of drinking water, solar lamps for power outages, classrooms and bussing. I am grateful to Golden Star for all that they have done for the community.”
Diasa Franklin, Teacher at Kwame Niampa
“Parents used to send their children away for school but with the classrooms built by Golden Star teachers are willing to stay. I am happy to see the positive impact on the children, and encourage them to use the opportunity given to them by Golden Star to learn for a better future.”
Francis Donkor, student
“I am achieving good results because I can now learn in a classroom where I am not disturbed by animals and rain. I thank Golden Star for this.”
Isaac Frimpong, parent
“We used to send our children to other towns because the school building was poor and teachers would not stay. We appreciate Golden Star’s assistance in our children’s education.”
Daniel Dadzie, resident of the Ningo community
“Our community had problems with school enrollment. The school was in a bad state - teachers would not stay and children were discouraged. With the help of Golden Star a new classroom block was built and the education of the children has been improved tremendously. I say a big thank you to Golden Star for the great transformation and impact they have created on our lives!”
Bernard Cudjoe, Headmaster at Old Subiri
“I am excited to say that Golden Star has made a great contribution towards education as we now have a junior school classroom block and children don’t have to travel away for school. Brilliant students are supported with scholarships and parents do not have to pay levies for sporting activities. Our school can now boast an increase in enrollment and the scholarships have motivated children to learn. Long live Golden Star.”
Ricky J. K. Addor, Assistant Headmaster Academics, Prestea Secondary School
“Our school had a great challenge before Golden Star’s assistance with poor accessibility and enrollment, and classrooms over-crowded. We are grateful to Golden Star for the support and can now boast of an increase of students transferring to the tertiary sector. Ayekoo to Golden Star and we appreciate their continued good works.”
Eric Tawiah Esson, student, Prestea Secondary School
“I am grateful to Golden Star for the classroom blocks they have built. Teaching and learning has become so effective. Education is necessary to gain knowledge and skills, to have a good impact on life and on society for generations to come.”
Improving School Accessibility
In a number of our host communities, in the past children had to walk for over two hours to access the nearest school. To improve access to education for these children, Golden Star provides school bus services for 7 communities, enabling some 293 school children to access and remain enrolled in school.
James Kyei, scholarship recipient
“Education is the key to success and I thank Golden Star for supporting my education. I experienced hard times before the Golden Star scholarship and school bussing. Sometimes I had to sleep in another village to go for exams. God bless Golden Star and I urge all students to learn hard and come out with flying colors.”
Robert Gyamfi, Community Relations and Social Responsibility Manager for Golden Star
“I see education to be the single most liberating equal opportunity intervention that is not sensitive to race, tribe or gender. Education enhances the potential of all to improve on their lives and broaden their opportunities. Golden Star supports education in many ways: one of our nearest communities is several kilometers away from a school, and without the provision of school bussing children would be unable to access good education to progress to secondary institutions.”
Enhancing Education Quality
In support of enhanced educational delivery, Golden Star has provided school supplies to schools and students, paid allowances to teachers, including financial bursaries to early childhood educators in our most remote catchment communities, and supported numerous sports, carnival and inter-school programs.
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| Children enjoying a library provided by the Golden Star Development Foundation |
Abigail Madzigbe, Winner of the 2016 Inter – Mines First Aid and Safety Essay Competition
“I have grown to learn that with education I can go far in life and be prosperous - I have taken up the challenge to be successful. Golden Star has been supportive to us, the children in the community. The essay writing competition equipped me to learn, and I came 1st in the competition, which has given me the motivation to learn more and pursue my aims in life.”
Vincent Otoo, scholarship recipient and 2016 Best BECE Student in the District
“I am so thankful to Golden Star for the impact they have had on my education, which has changed my life in many ways. I am a role model to my community and I am proud to have received awards including one from the President of the Republic of Ghana. To everyone out there, we can overcome the challenges of life only through education.”
Ebenezer Otoo Wettey, parent of Vincent Otoo
“I am proud of my son for being awarded Best BECE Student (2016) in the District and winning a presidential award for been Best in English Language in the Western Region (2016). To Golden Star I say a very big thank you for giving my son the opportunity to prove the talent that he has.”
Comfort Bansah, Mother of Vincent Otoo
“I pray for Golden Star to move from grace to grace, continue to be in production and a safe mine because they help us in so many ways. God richly bless Golden Star!”
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| With Golden Star's support, Abigail Madzigbe and Vincent Otoo have excelled in their education |
Scholarships
Within our host communities, many families report the high cost of education as prohibiting enrolment and retention of their children in school. Ghanaian census surveys highlight the particular plight of girl children in these rural areas, with girl child enrolment and graduation from school traditionally lower than boy children.
Since 2008 we have provided scholarships for over 892 children. Scholarship recipients must meet the criteria of being brilliant and needy. Therefore with the help of Ghana Education Services and the school faculties, we are identifying children with great capacity for learning, who through circumstances out of their control, would often not be able to participate in school without the financial support of Golden Star or the Golden Star Development Foundation.
Yaa Joyce, parent
“It is hard to see your child removed from school when you know he/she is brilliant. By the grace of God my child is still in school thanks to the scholarship from Golden Star. I thank Golden Star for the support and encourage children to learn because education is important to go places in the world.”
Sakinatu Beyeden, parent
“I always made it clear to my son that he would start work after attending junior high as there was no money for school. Ayekoo to Golden Star for the positive impact they have created in the life of my son who is now in senior high school under a Golden Star scholarship.”
Nuhu Shuaib Abeka, scholarship recipient
“I used to have to sit outside in the moonlight to study, and I would worry about how my parents would get money to pay my fees for secondary school. I am happy in secondary school and excited to make better grades.”
Gifty Appiah, scholarship recipient
“We had awful times when part of our school collapsed, and it was hard to hear my parents say that I would have to go work after junior high school. A very big thank you to Golden Star for our new classroom and the opportunity to continue my education under their scholarship. I am motivated to learn and want to use this platform to motivate my colleagues to achieve their goals.”
Ramsey Mireku, scholarship recipient
“I had no hope of attending secondary school as my parents couldn’t afford the school fees, but thanks to Golden Star for a scholarship I can now encourage others not to stay at home too - in our world now it’s all about education.”
Joseph Kwasi Mantey, scholarship recipient
“Before Golden Star’s intervention I would have had to go to the next town to continue my education. Thank you to Golden Star as they have provided a junior high school, scholarship scheme, refreshments to motivate us during sport and so much more.”
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| Just a few of the Golden Star scholarship recipients who are continuing to higher levels of education |
Educational Subsidies
Golden Star also supports the education of almost 3,000 children of our employees, through educational subsidies. These subsidies are designed to reduce the financial burden on parents of placing children in quality education, to ensure the greatest opportunity for quality education and potential for income generation into the future.
Festus Adebrah, Golden Star Mine Maintenance Supervisor and PTA Vice Chairman, Golden Star School
“Education is the best gift you can give to anyone because it cannot be taken away and it helps one to become successful. I am pleased about Golden Star supporting my children’s education, and I am excited about the company’s contribution to education including free basic school for our team’s’ dependents at the Golden Star school, as well as community scholarships."
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| Children learning to read with books provided by Golden Star |
What Has Been The Impact?
Ask, and most parents will tell you that nothing is of greater importance to them than their children or their ability to give their children the greatest advantage that they can.
Lydia Ackom Boateng, parent
“I want to thank Golden Star for having the community in mind with the much needed support they are giving towards education.”
James Amoah, parent, Old Subiri
“I am proud of Golden Star for supporting my son’s education when things were not easy for me. I am excited to say a big thank you to the company for the support and I urge all children to go to school because with education you get a better future.”
If you'd like to find out more about Golden Star and its approach to CSR, please visit www.gsr.com/responsibility.
