Pioneers Team
Esther Awovi Akafia
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
A next Generation Leader with the McCain Institute and Arizona State University, Esther is an educator, an attorney, and an experienced International Development professional with over 20 years’ experience working and leading teams in Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Esther’s work has included Corporate Attorney for Opportunity International, a global microfinance organization. Africa Director for Human Resources for FINCA International- a global microfinance & International Development organization,
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of FINCA Microfinance Bank, Nigeria, a fellow at RSF Social finance in Sans Francisco, a Banker with the Royal Bank of Scotland, England and the founder and Executive Director of Pioneers International Academy.
Esther holds a Bachelor’s degree in law (LLB, University of Ghana), a Master’s Degree in International Business (LLM, University of Manchester, England), and an MBA in Global Social and Sustainable Enterprise development (Colorado State University, USA). She is a member of the Ghana Bar Association, a certified Global Professional in Human Resources and a member of High Scope Educational Research Foundation, USA
Esther’s areas of interest include designing educational curriculum and experiences that enhance the learning and the whole development of the individual, the interaction between law, education, and the rights of the child. For the last 4 years, Esther has been focused on establishing schools in Africa to enable learners to develop their capacity to make an impact in Africa and beyond. She is a law professor (Commercial Law, Public International Law & Intellectual property Law) at Central University, Ghana.
Ama Bruwaa Quainoo
Vice Principal
Ama Bruwaa Quainoo has over 19 years' experience in teaching. Her teaching experience spans from kindergarten to the University level with a touch of Public Relations, Advertising, and Marketing.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in French from KNUST and has a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Cape Coast, both in Ghana. She has a passion for her teaching, for her learners and their learning. At Pioneers, Ama Bruwaa teaches French and English and is part of the management team
Phillip Tokoli
Team lead Lower Primary
Phillip is an experienced teacher who has taught extensively under the Ghana Education Curriculum for at least 8 years. He read Education at the University of Cape Coast and has taught in Evangelical Presbyterian School, Ashiaman, and Ridoana Comprehensive School, Zenu-Atadeka before joining Pioneers. He has taught all subjects of the Primary School Division and specialized in English and Social Studies in the Junior High School division.
Phillip is the Head of the Lower Primary Division. He's been part of the team over the last four years and has contributed immensely in helping to build reading and writing culture in our learners.
He is passionate about developing the confidence of young people to speak in public and influence their peers. He coaches and trains learners to lead groups and take part in drama performances and reading/writing competitions. He's a public speaker, teen counselor, and a preacher of the gospel. He is a trained leader with a heart to serve.
Emma Fianko
Team lead Upper Primary
Ms. Emma is a Science lover who desires to create a life long passion for youngsters especially females. She believes in harnessing the love of the subject at an early age and building the confidence to enable learners to pursue any career in Science no matter the hindrance. She believes that obstacles in the way of learners who want to pursue science should be seen as a bridge to their dream and an opportunity to build themselves for the future.
Emma holds a Bachelor's degree in Earth Science from the University of Ghana. She fulfilled her national service at the Department of Earth Science due to her love for teaching. She was granted a scholarship to pursue her masters in Geology to fill in the shoes of the lecturers. She also obtained a grant from UNESCO for laboratory studies at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. She has three years of teaching experience from having taught part-time after her Master's program.
At Pioneers, Emma is the homeroom teacher for Year 3 and an English and Science teacher in the Upper Primary Division. She also handles STEM in the Primary School, creating a comfortable environment for learners to grow.
Lorain Asongo
Maths Teacher
Lorain is a mathematically inclined person who hopes to foster creativity and critical-thinking skills in learners to sharpen their thinking faculties toward problem-solving. Lorain is a Graduate of KNUST, Ghana, and AIMS, South Africa, both in the study of Mathematics. She volunteered as a student tutor, teaching mathematics to students in High School and a college while studying in South Africa. She has also worked in the capacities of a bank and a non-profitable organization.
At Pioneers, Lorain teaches Mathematics in the Upper Primary Division and also handles Robotics. She believes that educational robots are great tools and companions for teachers to awaken the curiosity in children, transforming them into engineers and storytellers as they engage and experiment with robots.
Wisdom Nukunu Lewington
Science Teacher
Lewington is a Bachelor's degree holder in Educational Psychology from the University of Cape Coast, UCC. During his study, he majored in Science and minored in Mathematics. He has 19 years of teaching experience in mathematics and science. He is passionate about teaching, especially Mathematics and Science since he wants to make a difference in teaching in the field of education, he is aiming to become one of the greatest educational psychologists in the world.
At Pioneers, Wisdom is the homeroom teacher for Year 5, teaching Mathematics and Science in Year 4 and 5. He also assists in the STEM program for the Primary Division of the school.
Albert Baiden
Economics Teacher
Albert has 2 years' experience in teaching and holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He worked as a Teaching Assistant, teaching Economics at Ada Senior High Technical (Sege) for his National Service. This one-year teaching motivated him to stay in the teaching field full-time to make an impact in the lives of children. He has also had one-week Special Needs Training for kids at New Horizon School, Cantonments, Accra. The training exposed him to the world of special needs children, enlightening him to the different teaching methods used not only to bring out the best of learners in the class but also to assist in their social interaction.
Marian Awuni
Preschool Assistant
Marian is a teacher at the Early Childhood Education Centre. She is the assistant at the Preschool, developing and nurturing the well-being of the young learners. She also served as an intern at the Greenwich Meridian Presbyterian School, assisting in the teaching of learners from ages 2 to5. She holds certificates in Childcare and Early Childhood Education. She also holds a diploma in Early Childhood Education and Child Psychology from BAS Educational Institute
Beatrice Freeman
Team Lead, Early Childhood.
Beatrice holds a Higher National Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Ho Technical University. She interned at Robinhood Hotel, working in all the departments. She then proceeded to do her National Service at the National Service Secretariat (Headquarters) as an Assistant chef and Sales Executive and continued with a voluntary service at Nyaho Medical Centre as an Assistant Housekeeping Manager/Ward Secretary.
Her love for children drove her to seek employment with DaySpring International Academy working as an Administrative Assistant for four years. But she saw teaching as a natural gift since she spent 14years teaching in the children's' ministry at her church. Therefore, she went further to train in Montessori Education.
At Pioneers, Beatrice is the homeroom teacher for Reception 1 and the leader for the Early Childhood Department. She is passionate about helping her students reach their full potential and this drive has led her to develop and implement activities that improve learning and behavioral skills, as well as confidence and self-reliance.
Elizabeth Dame
Reception 2 Homeroom Teacher
Elizabeth is a skilled graduate teacher from the University of Cape Coast with seventeen years' experience in education. Proficient in holistic education, she ensures learners from Preschool receive the best tools to improve their enthusiastic learning abilities. She is experienced in creating engaging educational atmosphere and content for learners to enjoy learning. If you want a good atmosphere of learning to take place for your wards, seek for Pioneers and Elizabeth Akyere Dame to make it happen in your child's development.
Osbert Kaitoo
Musician & IT Technician
Osbert is a self-trained musician who later attained a Diploma in Music at the National Symphony Orchestra. He later went on to attain Diplomas in Microsoft Certified Systems Engineering and CISCO at IPMC. Osbert worked as a freelance IT technician for over 8 years while working part-time as a music tutor at American International School and producing music in his home studio.
At Pioneers, he teaches music from early childhood to upper primary. He desires to inspire and nurture music skills in learners while giving them a unique point of view on what music entails. He also aims to use music as a tool to help develop the mental capacity of kids by taking them through exercises that stimulate artistry and logic.
