In April and May 2026, the Charles Yeboah Educational Foundation took a significant step toward its mission of ensuring that every Ghanaian learner has access to quality education. Across two cities and two weekends, CYEF brought together 329 teachers and school leaders for its inaugural Professional Development Workshop Series themed “Where Change Begins: Compassion and Kindness in Education.”
The first edition was held on 25th April 2026 at the ICS Campus in Kumasi, followed by a second edition on 2nd May 2026 at the ICS Campus in Accra. Both workshops were fully funded — covering breakfast, lunch, and souvenirs for every participant. This was a deliberate expression of CYEF’s belief that equipping and empowering teachers from public, low-fee private, and mission schools with the resources and knowledge they need — but too often cannot access — is one of the surest ways to ensure that Ghanaian learners from these schools experience quality education.
A Room Full of Purpose
From the moment participants arrived, it was clear that this was not a room of people who needed convincing. These were educators who had already decided that growth was worth showing up for. Teachers and school leaders came from public schools and low-fee private schools, representing at least five regions of Ghana, from the Ashanti and Greater Accra regions to the Eastern, Central, and Oti regions. The day opened with a keynote address by Dr. Charles Badu Yeboah, Founder of CYEF, who spoke on the theme of Compassion and Kindness as Educators. His address set the tone for everything that followed — warm, purposeful, and deeply grounded in the reality of teaching in Ghana today.
Learning That Went Deep
Following the keynote, participants moved into two rounds of breakout sessions, each choosing from four tracks led by experienced facilitators. The sessions covered were Classroom Management, Assessment for Learning, Active Learning, and Leveraging AI to Support Work as Educators.
The response was enthusiastic. Participants came with specific questions and left with practical tools. Many shared that the sessions did not just introduce new ideas — they reinforced and validated work that educators had already started in their own schools. One participant, a school director from the Greater Accra Region, put it simply: “This workshop was really, really life-changing for me. Not because I learned things I had never heard before, but because I found a space that reinforced the work I had already started. That sentiment was echoed across both editions. Teachers spoke of renewed confidence, fresh strategies, and the particular value of connecting with fellow educators who share their commitment to serving Ghanaian learners well.
Built for the People Who Show Up Every Day
The “Where Change Begins” workshop was designed with a clear conviction: that improving educational outcomes in Ghana must begin with investing in the educators who deliver that education every single day. Public school teachers and leaders of low-fee private schools are often the last to receive professional development support and the first to feel the weight of under-resourced classrooms.
The fully funded model, the carefully selected facilitators, the branded materials, the catered lunch, the certificates of participation — every detail was a statement of how much these educators are valued.
What Comes Next All
329 participants from the Kumasi and Accra editions have been formally designated as Fellows of the Charles Yeboah Educational Foundation. Kumasi participants are now CYEF Fellows – Northern Ghana, and Accra participants are CYEF Fellows – Southern Ghana.
This designation is not ceremonial. It marks the beginning of an ongoing relationship between CYEF and its growing community of educators. Starting in July 2026, Fellows will be invited to participate in the CYEF Professional Development Webinar Series — an online programme featuring three parallel tracks covering diverse topics.
Where change begins is not a slogan. It is a conviction. It begins in the classroom. It begins with the educator. And it begins with the belief that when we invest in teachers, we invest in the future of every Ghanaian child.
The Charles Yeboah Educational Foundation is just getting started
