About Us
Hands-on, Minds-up
The Problem
"Around 250 million children are not learning basic skills, even though half of them have spent at least four years in school… Investing in teachers is key: in around a third of countries, less than 75% of primary school teachers are trained according to national standards."
- UNESCO Global Monitoring Report 2013/14
“Among grade 6 students in West and Central Africa in 2014, less than 45 percent reached the “sufficient” competency level for continuing studies in reading or mathematics—for example, the rest could not answer a math problem that required them to divide 130 by 26.”
- World Bank World Development Report 2018
Our Solution
The Practical Education Network (PEN) improves learning outcomes by building teacher capacity. The teacher training program PEN provides is infused with MIT-style, learning-by-doing to enable hands-on science regardless of resource constraints. PEN offers a series of workshops where West African STEM teachers learn, design, and share hands-on activities which complement the national curriculum and are created from low-cost and locally available materials.
Photos & Videos
APPROACH
We host teacher training workshops to explore hands-on STEM activities that use low-cost, locally available materials.
A lack in material resources often leave teachers feeling limited to using traditional approaches. PEN empowers teachers around the world to engage their students in hands-on science projects. We train teachers in executing these activities within the structure of traditional education programs.
Our material blends constructivist learning with design training to allow participants to discover key concepts and harness them to engage in projects relevant to their daily lives.
PEN has a special emphasis on the challenges of STEM education in the developing world – large class sizes, scarce material resources, and the novelty of interactive pedagogies.
We employ a teach-the-teachers business model, leveraging our partners' networks to reach scale.
Since 2014, we have been running workshops around Ghana with our local partners.We have been growing in numbers and reach each year!
CORE TEAM
Heather Beem
CEO & Founder
Heather completed her PhD at MIT in Mechanical Engineering, where she co-founded MIT's D-Lab: Education class. She also teaches engineering at Ashesi University.
Joseph Quaye Amoo
Programmes Manager
Quaye has a BA in Communications Studies from the Ghana Institute of Journalism. He is a passionate child, youth and women's development activist. He leads the team to design and implement training programmes for STEM teachers.
Margaret Dzakpasu
Finance & Admin. Manager
Margaret holds an MBA in Finance from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), and a Bachelor's Degree in Education (B.Ed. Social Sciences) from University of Cape Coast. In the past, Margaret has had extensive experience working on USAID projects, from January 2003 to February 2018.
Emelia Benedicta Mensah
Partnerships & Resource Mobilisation Manager
Emelia holds an MBA in International Trade from the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences. She has a vast experience in Business Development and Customer Relations. She is leading PEN's drive to build partnerships with education stakeholders and mobilise resources to scale up PEN's impact.
Fredrick Opoku
Logistics Officer
Fredrick manages PEN's logistics to ensure the smooth running of all operations. He is a Marine Science grad from University of Ghana.
Mawuena Asem Hanson
Research, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer
Mawuena monitors and evaluates all projects and interventions at PEN. Mawuena holds a masters degree in Global Health from Karolinska Institutet, Sweden and a BSc in Nutrition and Food Science from University of Ghana, Legon.
Leonard Asare
Curriculum and Training Officer
Leonard holds an MPhil in Molecular Cell Biology and a BSc in Biochemistry, both from University of Ghana.
He has had significant experience in teaching Science in the GES and Cambridge systems. Leonard is very enthusiastic about STEM education and research at all levels
Daniel Edem Abba
Multimedia Officer
Daniel is a documentary film producer and travel photographer with over a decade of experience producing impact stories across 7 African countries. Trained as a TV producer at The National Film and Television Institute in Ghana. He is developing audiovisual elements to project PENs mission.
Divine Adongo
Communications & Marketing Officer
Divine is a passionate communications professional. He is currently pursuing a BA in Communications Studies at the Ghana Institute of Journalism and holds a Higher National Diploma in Media and Communications Studies from Tamale Technical University. He joins PEN as a Communications and Marketing Officer to help promote STEM education in West Africa.
Amos Quarshie Ahiaku
Advocacy Officer
Amos leads the advocacy activities of PEN. He has an appreciable experience in the delivery of Education in Ghana. Amos completed an MRPP (Master of Research and Public Policy, awaiting certificate) programme at University of Ghana. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Education (B.ed Arts) from the University of Cape Coast and Teachers' Certificate 'A' from St. Francis College of Education, Hohoe.
INTERNS & VOLUNTEERS
Issifu Alhassan
Content Developer
Issifu is a Computer Engineering graduate from Ashesi University. With his experience with Mathematics both as a teacher and a student, he is leading a team to develop and test content for PEN's math manual.
Evans Sackitey
Content Developer
Evans is a graduate of KNUST with a BSc. in Materials. Engineering. His primary goal at PEN is to work on the PEN'S hands-on Mathematics and Science teacher resource manual, in accordance with to the GES school curriculum.
Rosemary Dziko
Content Developer
Rosemary had her diploma at Jackson Collage of Education where she studied General education. She is currently interning with PEN as an assistant content developer to analyse and resolve problems as
well as to build a profession that will offer endless opportunities to others.
.
Benjamin Gomado
Content Developer
Benjamin is recent graduate of Ashesi University with a BSc.
Electrical and Electronics Engineering. He is currently working with PEN to develop the Math content of PEN's STEM curriculum.
Jadis Azade Aganda
Content Developer
Jadis is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. She has demonstrated interest in working with young people and is currently working with students to test and develop PEN's math content curriculum.
Master Trainers
Emmanuel Ocquaye
District Science Coordinator, Ga East District
Emmanuel is an enthusiastic practical teacher and commands a refined skill in guiding teachers through practical activities. He also serves as National Secretary for GAST.
Saddik Mohammed
District Science Coordinator, Weija-Gbawe District
Saddik is the Chair of Curriculum for GAST, and he was previously awarded Best Science Teacher in Greater Accra Region. He brings a wealth of teacher training experience.
Dr. Thomas Tagoe
Lecturer, University of Ghana
PhD (Neuroscience)
Thomas completed his PhD in Neuroscience and is a passionate STEM advocate, having co-founded GhScientific.
Selase Dorledzi
Teacher, Zenu KKMA JHS Ashaiman
Selase was one of the first batch of teachers PEN trained, and she has since skyrocketed into a star practical science teacher.
Rejoyce Akoto
Teacher, Asofan M/A 1 JHS
Rejoyce trains and encourage teacher colleagues in her circuit on hands-on science methods through the accessibility and affordability of local materials.
Simon Dzamenu
Teacher, Kofi Kwei M/A Basic School
Simon's motivation in training teachers on hands-on science practicals has been the rate of change in pupils' understanding through practical activities.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dr. Gordon Adomdza
Associate Professor,
Ashesi University
Dr Adomdza is an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Ashesi University and has spearheaded a design thinking movement in Ghana. He leads PEN in testing business models and developing organizational growth strategies.
Dr. Heather Beem
CEO & Founder
Heather completed her PhD at MIT in Mechanical Engineering, where she co-founded MIT's D-Lab: Education class. She also teaches engineering at Ashesi University.
Saddik Mohammed
District Science Coordinator, Weija-Gbawe District
Saddik is the Chair of Curriculum for GAST, and he was previously awarded Best Science Teacher in Greater Accra Region. He brings a wealth of teacher training experience.
MENTORS
Lucy Quist
Business Leader, STEM Advocate
Dr. Elsie Effah Kaufmann
Associate Professor,
University of Ghana &
NSMQ Quiz Mistress
No. 9 Afari Gyan Street, North Legon,
Accra,
Ghana.
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Contact Us
0303943580
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