The Member of Parliament for Ahafo Ano South West in the Ashanti Region, Hon. Elvis Osei Mensah Dapaah, has taken a bold step to strengthen education in his constituency with the distribution of more than 12,000 textbooks to schools.
The intervention, which covered both primary and junior high schools, is part of his broader vision to promote quality teaching and learning while easing the burden of limited teaching and learning materials on parents, teachers, and pupils.
In total, 12,406 textbooks were supplied, targeting pupils across various levels. At the lower primary stage, 5,406 English reading books were shared—comprising 1,731 copies for Basic 1 and 3,675 copies for Basic 2 and 3. Additionally, 2,000 Twi reading books were distributed to pupils at the same level to encourage bilingual literacy.
At the upper primary level, pupils benefited from 3,000 English language books, while Junior High Schools received 2,000 English language textbooks to support literacy and language development.
This massive book distribution is timely, especially as the constituency continues to record growing enrollment figures, with over 10,794 pupils in primary schools and 7,438 in Junior High Schools. The surge in pupil numbers has put pressure on educational infrastructure and resources, making the MP’s intervention a welcome relief.
Speaking at the distribution exercise, Hon. Dapaah emphasized that education is the cornerstone of development and reiterated his unwavering commitment to ensuring that every child in his constituency has access to essential learning resources.
> “Literacy is the bedrock of academic success. By providing these books, we are not only easing the financial burden on parents and teachers but also encouraging a strong reading culture among our pupils,” he stated.
Teachers, parents, and education stakeholders in Ahafo Ano South West hailed the initiative, describing it as a demonstration of true leadership and a practical step toward bridging the resource gap in schools. They noted that access to books has been a longstanding challenge, and the intervention would go a long way in raising academic performance.
The gesture forms part of Hon. Dapaah’s broader educational support agenda, which has seen consistent investments in infrastructure, teacher motivation, and student empowerment programs in the constituency.
Education observers believe that such initiatives, when sustained, will not only boost literacy levels but also contribute to the holistic development of children in rural and semi-urban communities.
