Gye Nyame International School

Introduction

Gye Nyame was founded in 1997 with pupils at Bohyen, Asuogya a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The motive for the founding was to improve the standard of education in the vicinity, which had no single school at that time.

Currently the organization has about 400 pupils, 20 teachers and 6 non- teaching staff who are helping in the gradual development of the organization. There is a small hostel on the third floor which accomodates 6 boys and 12 girls. These students are studying in their last years of Junior Secondary. The school goes from nursery (around 3 years of age) to JSS3 (age varies but about 16 years of age.

Most of the children’s parents are poor and cannot afford the little amount we collect to run the organization and so finances have become a burden and a threat to the development and aims of the organization.

In Ghana, private schools are just as common as government schools, and there is little to differentiate them, except that the staff are expected to be present at class in private schools (classes are often left unattended in public schools). Parents will pay for thier children to go there because they hope their child will get a better quality of education. However, it is very hard for the private schools to collect school fees from the parents, because many times the parents are struggling to make ends meet as well.

School Opening Times:

School Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 7am – 4pm
Friday: 7am – 2pm
Saturday: 7am – 2pm (J.S.S. only)

School Term Times
Term 1:
1st week of September – 2nd week of December

Term 2
1st week of January – 1st week of April

Term 3
3rd week of April – 1st week of August

Class Size:
There are approximately 40 children per class.

The Environment:

The school is situated in Bohyen Asuogya, a middle class suburb of Kumasi, about 5 km from the city centre.

Kumasi is the capital city of the Ashanti region, a very important and historical centre for Ghana. It is about 250 km north of Accra (5 hours by bus).

Tourists and foreigners like to hang out at Babu Bazaar / Mensiah which is about 20 minutes by public transport.

Lake Bosumtwi, the largest natural lake in Ghana, is about 32 kilometres southeast of Kumasi. The Ashantis believe that the souls of their dead come to the lake to say goodbye to god called Twi. One theory says that the huge meteorite formed the lake. Another says that it is the crater of an extinct volcano.

In the villages around Kumasi, artisans specialize in crafts such as goldsmithing, wood carving, cloth printing and weaving. Bonwire is the place to go for kente cloth, Pankrono is best for pottery, Ahwiaa for woodcarving and Ntonso for adinkra cloth.

Volunteer Co-ordinator

The volunteer coordinator for this project is Maxwell Donkor. Maxwell is in his 2nd year of study to be a pastor. He is a qualified teacher and tutors 13 families from the US in Twi as well as being a dorm supervisor.

Your Job as a Volunteer

We are looking for volunteers of either gender to take on the role of either Classroom Assistant or as a Teacher, especially covering the following areas; Science, Maths, English, Computer Studies or Pre-technical studies.

Volunteers do not need to have a teaching background, but it is imperative that volunteers possess a desire to inspire and an ability to communicate ideas.
Volunteers are asked to dress modestly whilst teaching.

Accommodation

Volunteers will be accommodated in the in the directors house. They will be provided with thier own bedroom and will share the bathroom and kitchen facilities with the family. The director and his wife live with their 14 year old son in a modest house in the school compound.

The directors house.

Staff

The director is Stephen Adjei and his wife is Grace. Mr Adjei used to be a technician working at the Ghana Broadcasting Company prior to taking on his role as director of the school.

The Headmaster is Mr A.K. Asubonteng.

Mr Asubonteng, Grace and Stephen Adjei

Cost of Programme

Food will be provided to volunteers. It will be simple but nutritious. Volunteers will provide thier own snacks.

P4 students

JSS students

Volunteer Vacancies:

2 Volunteers at any one time. Below is our booking calendar which is updated in real time: