FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                CONTACT: ROBYN WHEELER
February 22, 2007                                                                                                   773-995-2388
                                                                                                                                    773-308-5306, cell

CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY DISTRIBUTES TEXTBOOKS TO PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN GHANA

CHICAGO -- The scholarship and hard work of Chicago State University (CSU) faculty and administrators has resulted in textbooks for students and educational materials for teachers in Ghanaian primary schools. The University developed and produced 600,000 copies of high quality, cost-effective educational materials that are responsive to age and gender norms and the curricula of the Ghana Education Service. CSU President, Dr. Elnora D. Daniel, was joined by other University administrators in Acca, Ghana for the official launch and book distribution which took place on February 22, 2007.

This effort intends to address the exceptional need for educational resources that adversely affects education in Ghana. The University’s involvement in this important project began in November 2005 with the receipt of a grant award from the U.S. Agency for International Development in the amount of $3 million. President Daniel wrote the grant and serves as the Program Oversight Officer for the agency’s Textbook and Learning Materials Program (TLMP).

“Most Ghanaian schools do not have textbooks. That fact is particularly disturbing given the importance of textbooks as a commonly used vehicle for promoting student learning,” said President Daniel. “Implementation of the Textbook and Learning Materials Program will give Chicago State University the opportunity to bring books and other learning materials to those classrooms.”

During the first two years of the project, University faculty and administrators, working in partnership with the Ghanaian Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, provided over 750,000 Math, English and Environmental Studies workbooks to kindergarteners and teachers. In addition, over 90,000 wall charts have been developed and shared with kindergarten through 3rd grade classrooms. “These materials will give many of the students their first educational materials while greatly enhancing their classroom experience,” said Dr. Adama Conteh, the TLMP Program Director.

Chicago State University is one of six universities partnering in the TLMP with six nations in Africa. The other TLMP partnerships are:
• Alabama A&M University with Ethiopia;
• Elizabeth City State University with Senegal;
• South Carolina State University with Tanzania;
• Tougaloo College with Zambia; and
• The University of Texas at San Antonio with South Africa.
Together these schools and African countries will produce and distribute 15 million primary school textbooks for African students.

The Textbooks and Learning Materials Program is part of President George Bush’s Africa Education Initiative. This $600 million multi-year project focuses on increasing access to basic quality education in Africa through scholarships, textbooks, and teacher training programs.