360 Montessori Tours SWOPA; Pupils Craft, Draw, and Connect with Ghanaian Heritage

Clad in Ghana’s iconic red, gold, and green, students and staff from 360 Montessori School located in Zuarungu in the Bolgatanga East Constituency embarked on an immersive cultural journey to the Sirigu Women’s Pottery Association (SWOPA), where tradition and creativity collided.

The visit, designed to deepen ties to Ghanaian heritage, saw pupils exploring SWOPA’s exhibition room, filled with handcrafted pottery, vibrant murals, and woven baskets that narrate the region’s history.

The pupils also took turns to also create almost just like what they saw in the exhibition room.

Guided by SWOPA Manager Miss Bridget Akesisi, students learned the cultural significance of each artifact.

“These crafts are more than art they’re stories of our ancestors,” Miss Bridget Akesisi explained.

Pupils then rolled up their sleeves, molding clay pots, sketching traditional symbols, and weaving baskets alongside local artisans.

In an interview with our reporter, the Director of 360 Montessori Emmanuel Azabirega emphasized the trip’s impact:

“Today is our inaugural visit to SWOPA. We are celebrating the independence day ahead of time. That is why we decided to let us get back to our roots. We need to discover ourselves, know more about our history, our culture, and what role we can play to preserve our culture. The saying that catch them young and they shall be forever yours is what we are observing now.

These little children need to be introduced to the culture of their country and the society in which they live so they can get to know better about themselves.

Some of the things they are doing now, they have seen in their books and this is the first time are having a hands-on activities. Because they are doingit themselves, it helps them to get a deeper understandingof the the concept faster and it stays than just merely reading from the books” he said.

However, both Miss Akesisi and Mr Emmanuel voiced frustrations over the dilapidated road leading to SWOPA, which nearly derailed the visit and future tourists.

Despite the challenge, the day ended with students proudly displaying their creations.

Yet the complaints underscored a pressing need which is preserving Ghana’s heritage requires more than artistry it demands roads worthy of the journey.