Both pupils and authorities of the selected schools would benefit from several learning opportunities that would result from their partnerships with schools in other parts of the world. The acting Manager of the British Council in Kumasi, Ms Bridget Konadu Gyamfi, made this known in Tamale at a regional training workshop for 60 selected teachers who would facilitate the project in the Northern Region. The Global School Partnerships (GSP) programme is a British Council programme designed to promote partnerships between schools in the United Kingdom (UK) and those in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. It is funded by the UK aid through the Department for International Development (DFID). The programme provides advice and guidance, professional development opportunities and grants to partner schools towards the development of a global dimension within their curriculum. It also helps to raise young people's awareness of global development issues and equip them with the skills and knowledge to become active players in the global stage. In Ghana, the British Council is implementing the project in collaboration with several non-governmental organizations. Ms Gyamfi said through the programme some of the teachers would have the opportunity to travel outside the country for exchange programmes. She said the training would also enhance the teachers' knowledge in handling children's affairs, as well as deepen their knowledge in internal affairs. She said so far 280' schools throughout the country were benefiting from the programme. The Director of Child Reach International, one of the implementing non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Mr Frederick Safo, noted that education in the Northern Region was not up to the required standards, particularly in the rural areas. He expressed that hope that by linking these rural schools to schools in the UK, they would get some support to improve academic performance and the general standard of education in the region. Mr Safo entreated the teachers to take the training seriously in order to ensure that their schools reaped maximum benefits from the GSP programme.
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