Proprietor: Margaret Awuah Yeboah

School: Christ Kids Academy

How did you learn about the IDP Rising Schools Program?

I learned about the IDP Rising Schools Program (IDPRSP) in 2013 when a team from Sinapi Aba visited my school. Later, I received an invitation letter to participate in the IDPRSP/Sinapi Aba proprietor training. The IDPRSP training covered topics on financial literacy and school management, consisting of nine (9) weeks - each week covering one module. However, due to my health conditions at the time, I could not make it to the training, but my son and the headmaster were selected to represent the school.

How relevant was the IDPRSP training program to you as a proprietor and to the development of your school?

After the training program, the knowledge acquired by the delegates were shared with the rest of the school management team and teachers. The training materials served as a guide that we used as a reference to support our day-to-day activities.

Drastic changes began to occur in our line of operations. Enrollment began to rise...students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards teaching and learning became more positive, and above all, we opened a business account to manage the school’s finances. We also instituted various cash books to guide the school on how our cash inflows and outflows were managed.

Have you accessed any loans through Sinapi Aba after the training? If so, how were the loans used?

So far I have obtained two loans after completing the training program. The first loan was for 20,000 cedis with 1-year repayment, and the second loan was for 30,000 cedis with 18-month repayment. The first loan was used to install flooring on the first floor of my twelve classroom structure. I started the school in my home, and through the loans, I was able to construct the first phase of the school which was then a 7-classroom block. The second loan was used to complete the second-floor flooring of the now 12-classroom building to contain the junior high students, and house offices and a new ICT lab.

After the training your savings have increased drastically, can you tell us the secret to this change?

Before the training, the school did not take savings seriously, but after the training, the school saw the value and importance in doing so. I realized that as a business entity, I will always have to save for unforeseen events and school developments.

What are the next steps that you want to take to continue your school’s progress?

I want to concentrate on expanding my schools as my enrollment is increasing. This will require me to buy a new plot of land. This is because there is no room for expansion at my current place and I will need an annex for the school. My vision is to move the junior high students to a new facility and house the primary students here near my home.

Any words for IDPRSP/SAT?

I hope that God continues to bless IDPRSP and Sinapi Aba’s good deeds and give them more grace and finances to continue to assist the low-cost private schools to reach greater heights.