In March, it was a pleasure to welcome Stephen Tettegah to Sevenoaks School – he helped to launch the EduSpots World Book Day collection and led various sessions with students and staff, as well as really enjoying observing lessons in the English department.
Stephen is the Head of Education and Leadership Development for EduSpots, the UK and Ghanaian organisation our pupils partner with during service projects. He was previously an English teacher in Northern Ghana with Lead for Ghana, and was able to share his direct experience of receiving books and creating a team of graduate volunteers to teach pupils to read in his community where literacy levels are extremely low. He described the significant impact of the EduSpots Kalpohin library upon a community struggling with basic sanitation and light, leaving pupils with a powerful message that they should not think any change is too small, because of the chain reaction it can lead to.
Stephen also spent time with the Year 7, as his visit tied into their work in Society and Change based around exploring education’s power as a tool for change, and the link between education and other sustainable development goals. Stephen was able to answer pupils’ insightful questions ranging from the Ghanaian education system, to the daily life of a Ghanaian child.
Following this, Stephen met the literacy service group he had been working with remotely, and was able to answer their questions about the various resources and initiatives they are co-developing in person. He also enjoyed the Black Panther movie and pizza night aiming to raise funds for African fiction.
Stephen said ‘I really valued my time in Sevenoaks, the pupils I met were very thoughtful and caring, and I was particularly impressed by the EduSpots service team who demonstrated commitment to the literacy and STEM projects they were working on. The classes I observed were insightful, it was such a joy to see pupils think critically, ask brilliant questions and quickly create their own work based on what is being discussed. During service, it was amazing to see many students analyse social issues insightfully and taking the initiative to meet problems they have identified, ranging from climate change to literacy. I am convinced that you are raising individuals who will lead industries and influence the world in a positive way.’
