Unveiling the Progress of Exponential Education's Gender Programs at Antoa SHS (2022-2024)
It has been a while, and although we have been silent on emails and social media, Exponential Education is still running our gender empowerment programs and an afterschool coding program in Kumasi. We would love to share what we’ve been doing for the past few years and how we can stay connected!
Girls LEAP and BPC
Step into the captivating world of Antoa Senior High School, where post-pandemic educational initiatives are soaring to new heights with our Girls LEAP and BPC programs! In 2022, we ran our Girls LEAP and BPC programs at Antoa Senior High School with 20 boys and 23 girls from September to December. It was our first post-pandemic program, a test of the waters for us, and we ran for one term with the girls and boys.
The girls' program performed satisfactorily, although time constraints limited our ability to incorporate a community service project and mentorship. Our focus remained on adhering to the curriculum, and despite these time constraints, the girls displayed notable enthusiasm. Ultimately, 19 girls and 11 boys completed the program. We organized a single movie screening during a weekend for the film 'CITATION,' which conveyed the importance of reporting sexual harassment and abuse—a theme that resonated well with the students.
In the thrilling year of 2023, we decided to go big and run an entire program for both Girls LEAP and BPC, braving the challenges of the academic calendar's unpredictability. We started the year with 46 young women and 20 young men.
Although we could not run the traditional mentorship program in our gender programs, Girls LEAP was able to run a community service project. Themed ‘Sexual Harassment,’ Antoa Senior High School held an assembly for form one and two students where the Girls LEAP participants could share information.
Girls LEAP presenting at Antoa SHS for over 800 form 1 and 2 students.
We partnered with the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVSU) of the Ghana Police Service. Together, we unfolded the layers of understanding—what sexual harassment entails, the importance of reporting incidents, and the profound consequences.
Fast forward to the year's end, and the results are in—20 girls and four boys completing the program. The girls' program at Antoa Senior High School is sparking a positive response, and we're not hitting the brakes just yet.
PA Prince passed out end-of-program certificates to one of the BPC students.
Girls LEAP participants all smile at the end of their program.
Reflecting and Next Steps
As we reflect on our programs since 2022, we're thrilled to share that we've engaged 109 students, sparking enthusiasm in 69 girls and 40 boys. A total of 54 students have completed the entire program between 2022 and 2023, a testament to the transformative power of our programs.
Our sights are set on the horizon as we revel in the success. Long-term engagement with the boys in BPC is in the works, and we're cooking up exciting plans to keep the momentum alive at Antoa Senior High School.
But wait, there's more! The excitement doesn't stop at Antoa Senior High School. In 2024, we're spreading our wings to Ejisuman Senior High School, aiming to ignite the flame of positive change in even more young hearts.
And now, let's savor the wisdom and inspiration captured in the favorite quotes from some of our incredible girls. Their voices echo the spirit of resilience and determination that defines our programs and propels us forward into the promising horizon of 2024.
‘Great people convert the invisible to the visible.’ - Akologo Mary
‘If it can be started, it can be achieved. - Adu Henrietta
