Dr R P Baffour, the first Ghanaian Engineer and the first Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana established the R. P. Baffour Anglican JHS in the September 1970/1971 academic year. His aim for establishing the school was to provide quality education for school-age children in Elmina. The school started in an abandoned cocoa depot as a co-educational public institution, which was later translocated to its present site at Terterkesim a suburb of Elmina where its status changed from a ‘Middle School’ to a Junior Secondary School and presently a Junior High School all as part Government’s educational Reform policies which began in 1987. A block comprising four classrooms, a head teacher’s office and a store was constructed at Terterkesim accompanied the move. A later addition was a technical workshop block constructed in the 1990s.
The school as of 2021 has a student population of 230 comprising 133 girls and 97 boys with most intakes from Terterkesim, which is a deprived community in Elmina. The school has several challenges including many years of neglect resulting in deteriorated infrastructure, the introduction of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) into BECE curricula for which the students are digitally illiterate and the exponential increase in student enrolment in recent years.
The RP Baffour Foundation, therefore, considered addressing these challenges as its priority project improving the school’s infrastructure and facilitating STEM studies there.
Project 1.
The construction of a two-classroom block and refurbishment of the existing 4-classroom block
An attempt was made to construct an additional 2 classrooms to accommodate the increased enrolment, which was abandoned. Thus, the students were overcrowded in classrooms, which were roofed with asbestos sheets and years of neglect had gaping holes in them that made the use of the classrooms impossible during the rainy season.
The uncompleted building was pulled down and a new 2-classroom block built, and all the asbestos roofing were replaced with aluminium sheets, and painting the 4-classroom block to create an enabling environment for teaching.
Project 2.
Provision of ICT laboratory
The school has not had any computers for its ICT classes since the subject was introduced into the WAEC Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) curriculum. The Foundation in collaboration with USA-based non-governmental organizations; IT Afro Connect (Papa Essilfie Andoh), Newbod Outreach (Kwame Bowen), Pipins Project (Yvonne K. David) Stream Global Stream (Nikia Richards and Niamani Knight), have established an ICT laboratory at the RP Baffour Anglican JHS in Elmina. The facility is equipped with 30 computers, supported with the relevant software for live streaming and STEM education.
Project 3.
Pulling down of a derelict school wing and construction of a new block.
A wing of the school building, which was a later addition that was meant to be a technical training workshop was badly constructed. This structure was constructed without supporting pillars, which over the years has had serious cracks in the walls and its foundation is exposed due to soil erosion. The building is still used as a classroom and can collapse at any time on students, which will be calamitous. The RP Baffour Foundation is currently seeking support to pull down this structure and to construct two classrooms, a toilet facility for students and a staff common room, which the school now lacks.
Project 4.
Establishment of an RP Baffour Award for the best graduating engineering (students)
The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology organises annually, the RP Baffour Memorial Lectures, delivered by world-renowned speakers. The Foundation intends to use this forum to award three prizes to the best graduating Mechanical, Electrical and Civil Engineering students of that year.
Project 5.
Facilitation of STEM education in under-served schools in Ghana.
In fulfilment of the Foundation’s goal to develop future leaders with integrity and discipline out of underprivileged children through the provision and facilitating STEM Education for the less privileged youth. Specifically, the Foundation in partnership in both international and local STEM-oriented organizations will develop intramural and extramural programs and support for ICT education in underserved Junior High Schools in Ghana. This activity is being piloted at the RP Baffour Anglican JHS in Elmina, which will be expanded to such schools in both urban and rural communities
