Eddies Teddies Inc. builds modern Kindergarten classroom block for Lolito D/A Primary School
A two-unit modern Kindergarten classroom block with ancillary facilities has been commissioned and handed over to the Lolito D/A Primary School in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region to enhance early childhood education in the area.
The facility, funded by Eddies Teddies Incorporated, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in the United States of America, comprises Kindergarten One and Kindergarten Two classrooms equipped with electricity, running water, washrooms, and other amenities designed to provide a conducive learning environment for young children.
Dr. Eddie Etsey, Founder and President of Eddies Teddies Incorporated, said the project formed part of his vision to empower communities through education and to give back to his ancestral home.
“Lolito holds a special place in my heart because this is where my roots are. It was important for me to start here because this is where the beginning is,” he said.
Dr. Etsey explained that although the organisation initially focused on healthcare interventions, it later shifted its emphasis to education after recognising that educating and empowering people created sustainable opportunities for development.
“Education is the basis for everything. If you know how to read, you can conquer the world. By educating children, we empower them to become great and do great things,” he stated.
He said Eddies Teddies Incorporated had supported the school over the years through the establishment of a library, the provision of computers and laptops, support for sports activities, and assistance in acquiring school band instruments.
Dr. Etsey assured the community that the organisation’s support for Lolito was far from over.
“We are not done with Lolito. This is just the beginning. We are discussing the renovation of parts of the school, constructing new sanitary facilities, providing a playground and extending support to the Junior High School as well,” he said.
Mr. Jacob Kokloku, Headteacher of Lolito D/A Primary School, recounted the longstanding partnership between the school and the organisation, which dates back to 2016 when the NGO established a library for the school.
He said subsequent support included laptops for staff and students, financial assistance for school projects, provision of school drums, and sponsorship of sporting activities.
Mr. Kokloku described the completion of the Kindergarten classroom block as the fulfilment of a long-held dream.
“Today, as you can all witness, that collective dream has finally become a reality,” he said.
He, however, appealed for additional support to address some pressing needs of the school, including staff accommodation, a perimeter fence wall, a school canteen, improved sanitation facilities and other supporting infrastructure.
Mrs. Victoria Dzeklo, South Tongu District Chief Executive, commended Eddies Teddies Incorporated for complementing government’s efforts in improving education delivery in the district.
She pledged to furnish the newly commissioned classrooms with furniture and assured the school that efforts would be made to post more teachers to the institution.
Mrs. Dzeklo urged other organisations and philanthropists to emulate the gesture and called on the school authorities and community members to adopt a strong maintenance culture to preserve the facility.
“This facility belongs to the community and posterity. We must all ensure that it is properly maintained to serve generations of children,” she said.
Mrs. Celestine Korsi-Agordo, South Tongu District Director of Education, described Kindergarten education as a critical foundation for the development of every child and stressed the need to invest more resources into early childhood education.
She said children at the kindergarten level required special care and attention, noting that government had instituted well-structured programmes to support their growth and development.
“The foundation we build for our children today determines the kind of citizens they become tomorrow. Early childhood education is not only academic; it is also psychological preparation for greater expectations in life,” she said.
Mrs. Korsi-Agordo noted that the increasing demands on government made partnerships with non-governmental organisations indispensable and praised Eddies Teddies Incorporated for its unwavering commitment to supporting education in the district.
The commissioning ceremony brought together traditional authorities, education officials, community leaders, teachers, pupils and residents, who hailed the project as a major boost to quality early childhood education in the Lolito community.
Mr Francis Lumorvi Dogbey, Chairman of the Town Development Committee, has welcomed the completion of a new Kindergarten (KG) block for the community’s primary school, describing it as a timely intervention that strengthens early childhood education delivery. He noted that the school had operated for years without a dedicated KG facility, compelling authorities to improvise by using existing classrooms for KG 1 and KG 2, a situation he said was far from ideal.
He explained that the project materialised following consultations with a community stakeholder and indigenes residing outside the town, who contributed to efforts to bridge the infrastructure gap.
He further indicated that the chief of the community facilitated the process by allocating land for the construction, paving the way for the successful execution of the project.
Mr Dogbey, a retired teacher, commended the initiative as a major boost to foundational learning, emphasising the importance of KG education in shaping pupils’ academic development.
He urged teachers, school authorities, and community members to uphold a strong maintenance culture to safeguard the facility, stressing that sustained collective responsibility would ensure its longevity and continued benefit to future learners.
